{"id":"gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995","name":"GAMING CONTROL (GAMING MACHINES) REGULATIONS 1995","slug":"gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":176853,"registerId":"nt-gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"GAMING CONTROL (GAMING MACHINES) REGULATIONS 1995","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nGAMING CONTROL (GAMING MACHINES) REGULATIONS 1995\nAs in force at 14 April 2020\nTable of provisions\n1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1\n2 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1\n3 Application for permit ....................................................................... 1\n4 Consideration of application ............................................................ 2\n5 Permits and fees.............................................................................. 2\n6 Redeemable credits ......................................................................... 3\n8 Enforcement of gaming machine turnover levy................................ 4\n9 Treasurer may appoint trustees ....................................................... 4\n10 Specified associations ..................................................................... 5\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 14 April 2020\n____________________\nGAMING CONTROL (GAMING MACHINES) REGULATIONS 1995\nRegulations under the Gaming Control Act 1993\n1 Citation\nThese Regulations may be cited as the Gaming Control (Gaming\nMachines) Regulations 1995.\n2 Definitions\nIn these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:\nCommissioner means the Commissioner of Territory Revenue as\ndefined in section 3(1) of the Taxation Administration Act 2007.\nliable permit holder means the holder of a permit liable under\nregulation 7(1) to pay gaming machine turnover levy.\nnon-commercial gaming machine means a gaming machine\nwhich, in the opinion of the Director, is of historical or novelty value\nor interest, is not operated (if at all) for the purposes of gain and is\nkept in a private dwelling house or in a museum or like place.\nquarter means a consecutive period of 3 months ending with the\nlast days of September, December, March and June respectively.\ntrust account means the trust account opened by the Treasurer in\npursuance of section 50 of the Act.\n3 Application for permit\n(1) A person may apply to the Director for a permit for a purpose\nreferred to in section 49 of the Act or a combination of those\npurposes.\n(2) An application under subregulation (1) shall be:\n(a) in writing in the approved form;\n(b) accompanied by such documentary evidence as may be\nrequired by the Director to assist the Director in determining\nthe application; and\n\nGaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations 1995 2\n(c) accompanied by the fee prescribed in regulation 5.\n4 Consideration of application\n(1) The Director may, on receiving an application under regulation 3:\n(a) grant the application subject to such conditions, if any, as the\nDirector thinks fit; or\n(b) refuse the application.\n(2) A permit granted under this regulation shall be in the approved\nform.\n(3) Where an application is refused under subregulation (1), notification\nof the refusal shall be given to the applicant.\n(4) In considering an application under this regulation, the Director\nshall have regard to any written directions of the Minister relating to\nthe provision and use of gaming machines.\n(5) The Director may, by notice in writing to the holder of a permit\ngranted under this regulation, but having regard to any directions\nunder subregulation (4), amend or revoke a condition of the permit\nor impose an additional condition on the permit.\n(6) It is a condition of a permit granted under this regulation that the\nholder of the permit:\n(a) allow a gaming inspector, or a person authorised in writing by\nthe Director, to enter a place (including a public place) where\na gaming machine in relation to which the permit was granted\nis kept, used, maintained or repaired and to inspect the place\nand the gaming machine; and\n(b) obtain the consent of the Director to the scale of, and method\nof dispensing or providing, the goods or services or vouchers\nrepresenting goods or services relating to the gaming machine\nin relation to which the permit was granted.\n5 Permits and fees\n(1) A permit for a purpose referred to in section 49(1) of the Act shall,\nsubject to the Act, be valid for the financial year in respect of which\nit is granted and may be renewed on application made under\nregulation 4 not later than 30 days before the end of that financial\nyear.\n\nGaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations 1995 3\n(2) The fees to accompany an application for a permit or the renewal of\na permit are:\nfor a purpose referred to in\nsection 49(1)(a) of the Act, 55 revenue units\nfor a purpose referred to in\nsection 49(1)(b) of the Act, 230 revenue units\nfor a purpose referred to in\nsection 49(1)(c) of the Act, 55 revenue units\nfor a non-commercial gaming machine Nil.\n(3) Where a first application for a permit is made other than during the\nfirst quarter of a financial year, the fee payable under\nsubregulation (2) shall be reduced in inverse proportion to the\nnumber of quarters or parts of quarters remaining during the\nfinancial year for which the permit, if granted, is valid.\n6 Redeemable credits\n(1) The player of a gaming machine wishing to redeem any credits\nindicated on the machine shall accept, in exchange, goods or\nservices or vouchers representing goods or services, whether\ndispensed or provided by the holder of the permit relating to the\nmachine or otherwise.\n(2) Where goods referred to in subregulation (1) comprises or includes\nliquor, it shall be dispensed or provided to the player in accordance\nwith the conditions of the licence of a person licensed under the\nLiquor Act 2019.\n(3) The holder of a permit who operates a gaming machine shall have\naffixed on or in close proximity to it an approved notice displayed in\na conspicuous position setting out:\n(a) the scale of; and\n(b) the method of dispensing or providing,\nthe goods or services or vouchers representing goods or services\nrelating to the gaming machine.\nMaximum penalty: 4 penalty units.\n\nGaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations 1995 4\n(4) The holder of a permit who operates a gaming machine:\n(a) shall dispense or provide the goods, services or vouchers in\naccordance with the scale and method referred to in\nsubregulation (3); and\n(b) shall not exchange, barter or trade any goods, services or\nvouchers resulting from the use of a machine by a player.\nMaximum penalty: 4 penalty units.\n(5) A person who provides or causes to be provided cash or any sort of\ncash benefit or cash award (including making up in cash the\ndifference in value between any goods and services provided and\nthe value of the redeemable credits) in relation to the use of a\ngaming machine is guilty of an offence.\nMaximum penalty: 4 penalty units.\n(6) The Director may determine the size, contents and format of a\nnotice to be displayed under subregulation (3) and the holder of a\npermit who displays a notice in general conformity with the\nDirector's determination shall be taken to have displayed an\napproved notice.\n8 Enforcement of gaming machine turnover levy\nSubject to these Regulations, the Taxation Administration Act 2007\napplies, with the necessary changes, to and in respect of gaming\nmachine turnover levy as if:\n(a) the levy were a duty payable under a taxation law; and\n(b) a return under these Regulations were a return required under\na taxation law; and\n(c) the holder of the permit liable to pay the levy were a person\nliable to pay duty under a taxation law; and\n(d) the Treasurer or the Director, as the case may be, were the\nCommissioner.\n9 Treasurer may appoint trustees\n(1) The Treasurer may, in writing, appoint such number of persons as\ntrustees as is thought appropriate for the purpose of:\n(a) advising the Treasurer on establishing rules and procedures\nfor the administration of any funds in the trust account; and\n\nGaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations 1995 5\n(b) administering the funds in accordance with rules and\nprocedures approved by the Treasurer.\n(2) A trustee shall hold office for such term not exceeding 3 years as\nthe Treasurer determines, but may be reappointed.\n10 Specified associations\nWithout limiting the generality of section 50(b) of the Act or the\ndiscretion of the Treasurer or any trustee appointed under\nregulation 9 in applying funds from the trust account, funds from the\ntrust account may be applied to a non-profit making association the\nactivities of which are charitable, benevolent or philanthropic and\nare of benefit to the community, notwithstanding that the activities\nof or the benefits derived from the association are not restricted to a\nlocal area.\n\nENDNOTES\nGaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations 1995 6\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nGaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations (SL No. 8, 1995)\nNotified 5 April 1995\nCommenced 5 April 1995\nAmendment of Gaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations (SL No. 39, 1995)\nNotified 19 December 1995\nCommenced 1 January 1996 (r 1)\nTreasury Legislation Amendment (Revenue Units) Regulations 2006 (SL No. 33, 2006)\nNotified 18 October 2006\nCommenced 18 October 2006\nRevenue Law Reform (Budget Initiatives) Act 2008 (Act No. 23, 2008)\nAssent date 30 June 2008\nCommenced pt 1, ss 3, 12(1), 18 and 19: 1 January 2008;\nss 7, 10 and 11(1): 6 May 2008; rem: 1 July 2008 (s 2)\nFees and Charges Amendment Regulations 2009 (SL No. 34, 2009)\nNotified 14 December 2009\nCommenced 1 January 2010 (r 2)\nPenalties Amendment (Miscellaneous) Act 2013 (Act No. 23, 2013)\nAssent date 12 July 2013\nCommenced 28 August 2013 (Gaz G35, 28 August 2013, p 2)\nLicensing (Repeals and Consequential Amendments) Act 2014 (Act No. 44, 2014)\nAssent date 5 December 2014\nCommenced 1 January 2015 (Gaz S130, 19 December 2014, p 2)\nLiquor Act 2019 (Act No. 29, 2019)\nAssent date 3 September 2019\nCommenced 1 October 2019 (Gaz G39, 25 September 2019, p 2)\n\nENDNOTES\nGaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations 1995 7\nLicensing (Director-General) Repeal Act 2020 (Act No. 4, 2020)\nAssent date 9 March 2020\nCommenced 14 April 2020 (Gaz G13, 1 April 2020, p 2)\n3 SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS\nr 3 Amendment of Gaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations (SL\nNo. 39, 1995)\n4 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: rr 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8.\n5 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\nr 2 amd Act No. 23, 2008, s 21; Act No. 44, 2014, s 145; Act No. 4, 2020, s 87\nrr 3 – 4 amd Act No. 44, 2014, s 145; Act No. 4, 2020, s 87\nr 5 amd No. 33, 2006, r 5; No. 34, 2009, r 10; Act No. 44, 2014, s 145\nr 6 amd No. 33, 2006, r 5; Act No. 23, 2013, s 6; Act No. 44, 2014, s 145; Act\nNo. 29, 2019, s 356; Act No. 4, 2020, s 87\nr 7 amd No. 39, 1995, r 2; No. 33, 2006, r 5; Act No. 23, 2013, s 6\nrep Act No. 4, 2020, s 84\nr 8 amd Act No. 23, 2008, s 21; Act No. 44, 2014, s 145; Act No. 4, 2020, s 87","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The regulations have been materially amended since enactment. The endnotes show fee and penalty adjustments (2006–2013), cross-references added to other Acts (including the Taxation Administration Act and Liquor Act 2019), and the repeal of regulation 7 in 2020. Those amendments alter enforcement mechanics, fee/penalty settings and certain liability references, changing how obligations are applied and who bears enforcement costs."},"complexity_factors":["Delegated discretion: Director has broad powers to grant, refuse, impose, amend or revoke permit conditions and to require documentary evidence (regs 3–4).","Operator compliance obligations: written application in approved form, documentary evidence, payment of fees, display of approved notices, rules for dispensing redeemable credits and prohibition on cash awards (regs 3, 5, 6(1)–(5)).","Cross-application of tax machinery: enforcement of gaming machine turnover levy is applied through the Taxation Administration Act framework, importing tax procedures and sanctions (r 8).","Trust-account governance: Treasurer may appoint trustees to advise on and administer funds held in the trust account (r 9); funds may be applied to non-profit associations meeting specified charitable/benevolent/philanthropic criteria (r 10).","Fee structure and proration: fees set in revenue units for different purpose-categories and reduced pro rata if a permit year is partly elapsed (r 5(2)–(3)).","Penalty and notice standards: small penalty-unit fines for failing to display notices or comply with dispensing rules and Director may prescribe notice format (r 6(3)–(6)).","Interacting legislation: operational rules depend on other Acts (Taxation Administration Act for levy enforcement; Liquor Act for provision of liquor) which affect compliance and enforcement (r 8; r 6(2); endnotes).","Textual complexity and renumbering: key defined terms reference provisions that have been amended or repealed in later instruments (eg. definition of 'liable permit holder' refers to regulation 7 which is listed as repealed in endnotes)."],"plain_english_summary":"These Regulations set the practical rules for licensing and operating gaming machines in the Northern Territory. They require operators to apply to the Director for permits (with prescribed fees), to display approved notices, and to provide redeemable credits as goods, services or vouchers (cash awards are prohibited). The Director decides on permits and conditions; permit-holders pay fees and any turnover levy; the Treasurer may appoint trustees to administer trust-account funds."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[{"type":"impossible_compliance","section":"regulation 5(1), read with regulations 3(1) and 4(1)","severity":"high","reasoning":"Regulation 5(1) permits renewal only “on application made under regulation 4”. Regulation 4(1) concerns deciding “an application under regulation 3”; the authority to apply appears in regulation 3(1). The supplied text therefore provides no application made under regulation 4 that can satisfy the renewal requirement.","confidence":0.99,"description":"Renewal requires an application “made under regulation 4”, but regulation 4 creates no application process.","source_quotes":["may be renewed on application made under regulation 4","The Director may, on receiving an application under regulation 3","A person may apply to the Director for a permit"]}],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the limited information available, the regulations appear to remain focused on their original 1995 intent of regulating gaming machines. The split between operational and tax/levy provisions across two departments is a structural administrative arrangement rather than a change in scope. No evidence of scope expansion or contraction can be confirmed from the metadata provided."},"complexity_factors":["Split administrative responsibility between two government departments creates potential overlap and ambiguity in enforcement","Regulations are subordinate to a parent Act, meaning readers must cross-reference the Gaming Control Act to fully understand the legal framework","The document provided contains minimal substantive content — the actual regulatory provisions would add significant complexity","Tax and levy provisions typically involve detailed financial calculations and thresholds","Multiple reprint versions (REPG006R2) suggest the regulations have been amended numerous times, requiring careful attention to which version applies at any given time","Dual-jurisdiction nature (operational vs financial) may create compliance confusion for operators"],"plain_english_summary":"The Gaming Control (Gaming Machines) Regulations 1995 are Northern Territory rules setting how gaming machines (pokies/slot machines) are operated, managed and taxed. They allocate operational oversight to Tourism and Hospitality and fiscal/levy responsibility to Treasury and Finance. The rules affect venue operators, manufacturers/suppliers, players and regulators, determine tax and compliance obligations, and carry penalties for breaches. Reprinted version in force from 14 April 2020."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations remain focused on their original purpose of controlling gaming machines operated for charitable and community purposes in the Northern Territory. While there have been amendments over 25 years (updating fee structures, penalty amounts, and references to other Acts like the Liquor Act 2019), the core scope—permitting, regulating, and taxing charitable gaming machines—has not expanded beyond the original framework established in 1995."},"complexity_factors":["Short length—only 10 regulations (with regulation 7 repealed)","Minimal cross-referencing—primarily references to the Gaming Control Act 1993 and Taxation Administration Act 2007","Straightforward conditional logic—mostly simple 'if-then' provisions without nested exceptions","Only 6 defined terms in the interpretation section (regulation 2)","Clear structure following a logical sequence: definitions → applications → permits → operations → enforcement","Some external dependency on 'revenue units' and 'penalty units' defined in other legislation, but these are standard NT mechanisms"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations control how gaming machines (pokies) operate in the Northern Territory for charitable and community purposes. They set out who can get a permit to operate machines, how much it costs, and what rules operators must follow.\n\n**Key things the regulations do:**\n\n- **Permits**: People must apply to the Director for a permit to operate gaming machines for charitable, benevolent, or community purposes. Permits last one financial year and can be renewed.\n\n- **Fees**: Operators pay fees based on what they use the machines for—ranging from 55 to 230 \"revenue units\" (a standard way of calculating government fees). Historical or novelty machines kept in private homes or museums are free.\n\n- **No cash payouts**: Players cannot get cash from machines. Instead, they receive goods, services, or vouchers. It is illegal to give cash or \"top up\" the difference between voucher value and cash.\n\n- **Inspections**: Gaming inspectors can enter premises to check machines, and operators must display notices showing what prizes players can win and how.\n\n- **Trust fund**: Money raised from a special levy on gaming machine profits goes into a trust account managed by trustees appointed by the Treasurer. This money funds charitable and community organisations.\n\n- **Tax enforcement**: The rules for collecting the gaming machine turnover levy use the same enforcement powers as tax laws.\n\n**Who it affects**: Community groups running gaming machines, charitable organisations seeking funding, and regulators overseeing gaming in the NT."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995","history":"/api/acts/gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995/history","analysis":"/api/acts/gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/gaming-control-gaming-machines-regulations-1995/documents"}}