Games, Wagers and Betting-houses (Amendment) Act 1987 (ACT)

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Games, Wagers and Betting-houses (Amendment) Ordinance 1987

No. 59 of 1987

I, THE ADMINISTRATOR of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Ordinance under the Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910.

Dated 29 October 1987.

J. A. ROWLAND

Administrator

By His Excellency’s Command,

JOHN BROWN

Minister of State for the Arts, Sport, the Environment,
Tourism and Territories

An Ordinance relating to gaming, wagering and suppression of betting-houses

Short title

1.  This Ordinance may be cited as the Games, Wagers and Betting-houses (Amendment) Ordinance 1987.1

Interpretation

2.  In this Ordinance, “the Act” means the Games, Wagers and Betting-houses Act 1901 of the State of New South Wales in its application to the Territory.

Liability of owner etc. of gaming house

3. Section 6 of the Act is amended:

(a)by omitting from subsection (1) all the words after “place” and substituting:

“is guilty of an offence punishable, on conviction, by a fine not exceeding:

(a)in the case of a natural person—$10,000 or imprisonment for 2 years, or both; and

(b)in the case of a body corporate—$50,000”; and

(b)by omitting from subsection (2) all the words after “excuse” and substituting “is guilty of an offence punishable, on conviction, by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for 6 months, or both”.

Repeal of section 17A

4.  Section 17A of the Act is repealed.

Penalty for keeping betting-house

5.  Section 19 of the Act is amended:

(a)by omitting from subsection (1) “shall be guilty of an offence against this Part” and substituting:

“is guilty of an offence punishable, on conviction, by a fine not exceeding:

(a)in the case of a natural person—$10,000 or imprisonment for 5 years, or both; and

(b)in the case of a body corporate—$50,000”; and

(b)by omitting from subsection (2) “shall be guilty of an offence against this Part” and substituting “is guilty of an offence punishable, on conviction, by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for 6 months, or both”.

Penalty for receiving money as deposit for a bet

6.  Section 20 of the Act is amended by omitting “shall be guilty of an offence against this Part” and substituting:

“is guilty of an offence punishable, on conviction, by a fine not exceeding:

(a)in the case of a natural person—$1,000 or imprisonment for 6 months, or both; and

(b)in the case of a body corporate—$5,000”.

Penalty for exhibiting placards as to betting

7.  Section 21 of the Act is amended by omitting “shall be guilty of an offence against this Part” and substituting:

“is guilty of an offence punishable, on conviction, by a fine not exceeding:

(a)in the case of a natural person—$1,000 or imprisonment for 6 months, or both; and

(b)in the case of a body corporate—$5,000”.

Penalty for advertising as to betting

8.  Section 22 of the Act is amended by omitting “shall be guilty of an offence against this Part” and substituting:

“is guilty of an offence punishable, on conviction, by a fine not exceeding:

(a)in the case of a natural person—$1,000 or imprisonment for 6 months, or both; and

(b)in the case of a body corporate—$5,000”.

9.  Section 27 of the Act is repealed and the following section substitued:

Certain offences may be dealt with summarily

“27.  (1)  Any proceedings in respect of an offence against this Act that is an indictable offence may be heard and determined by a court of summary jurisdiction where:

(a)the court is satisfied that it is proper to do so; and

(b)the defendant and the prosecution both consent to the offence being so dealt with.

“(2)  Where a person is convicted of an offence that has been dealt with under this section, the court may impose a fine not exceeding:

(a)in the case of a natural person—$2,000 or imprisonment for 1 year, or both; and

(b)in the case of a body corporate—$25,000.”.

NOTE

1. Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 30 October 1987.