Gaming machines in clubs and pubs

Every application for a gaming machine licence in the Northern Territory (NT) must go through a public consultation and community impact assessment process.

If you are applying for a new licence, or applying to increase the number of machines at your venue, you must prepare a community impact analysis (CIA) to include with your application.

What is a community impact analysis

The purpose of a CIA is to assess the social and economic impact your gaming machines may have on the community.

The CIA is public document to be consulted with the public where comment can be made. The public can request copies of it from Licensing NT.

You must make sure a CIA does of the following: 

• is prepared in a way that is suitable for public use
• does not breach legal requirements such as privacy laws.

Who must prepare it 

You must prepare a CIA if you are applying for a new gaming machine licence, or applying to increase the number of machines on your existing licence.

Your new CIA can make reference to an earlier CIA for that venue if the assessment is less than five years old.

You can ask for a waiver of the CIA requirement if you want to add up to four machines to an existing licence, but there is no guarantee it will be granted. 

How to prepare a CIA

Your community impact analysis should be created by suitably qualified professionals, preferably with experience in gaming.

It must be each of the following: 

• objective
• professional and independent.

Your CIA must include all of the below information about whoever prepares it:   

• their name 
• their qualifications and/or experience  
• any direct or indirect interest they have in the application or its outcome.

How to submit

You must include three hard copies of the CIA when you apply for a gaming machine licence. 

You must also provide an electronic copy on a CD, to assist with release during the advertising period. Submit your CIA copies, CD and gaming machine application at a Territory Business Centre. 

Follow the guidelines

Read the guidelines for preparing a community impact analysis.

Find recent community impact analyses

The Department of the Attorney-General and Justice publishes CIA's on its website for at least 30 days after they have been submitted.

To read recent and current CIAs, go to the Department of the Attorney-General and Justice website.