Liquor & Gaming · NSW
The bedrock of our firm. Our knowledge in this area is unparalleled.
LAS Lawyers was founded in 1989 as a specialist liquor and hospitality practice. We act for hotels, clubs, restaurants and bars across NSW, through licence applications, transfers, NCAT appeals, GME work and the disciplinary matters that decide whether a venue keeps trading.
Why LAS Lawyers
One of NSW's longest-running specialist licensing practices.
The firm started as a specialist liquor and hospitality advisory in 1989 and has acted continuously in the field since. The licensing desk is the firm's heritage and remains its deepest practice area, widely recognised in NSW.
- 01
Continuous since 1989
Continuously acting on liquor and gaming work since the firm was founded: three-and-a-half decades of regulatory pattern recognition.
- 02
Direct ILGA experience
Frequent appearances at NCAT appeals, contested licence matters, and disciplinary complaints. We know what the regulator looks for.
- 03
Licence + property + finance
Most hotel matters touch licence, property and finance simultaneously. We run all three desks under one roof, on one timetable.
- 04
Same-day on the urgent
Disturbance complaints, late-night enforcement issues, prosecutions: we act on the same business day where the matter requires it.
What we do
Four ways operators engage us.
Applications
Licence applications
New on-premises, hotel, club, packaged and small-bar licence applications. CIS preparation, pre-lodgment engagement with police and council, and ILGA-side application management through to grant.
- On-premises and small-bar licences
- Full hotel and packaged-liquor applications
- Community Impact Statement preparation
- Police and council pre-lodgment engagement
Transfers & variations
Licence transfers, variations & removals
Acting on the licence side of venue acquisitions and divestments: transfers, condition variations, trading-hour extensions, and licence removals. Coordinated with the property and business sides of the deal.
- Licence transfer applications
- Conditions variations and removal
- Trading-hour extensions
- Boundary changes and additional authorisations
Gaming
GME work & threshold increases
Gaming Machine Entitlement transfers, threshold increases, and the Local Impact Assessment work that sits alongside them. We act for hotels and clubs across NSW on the harm-minimisation framework that decides approval.
- GME transfer applications
- Threshold increase applications
- Local Impact Assessment preparation
- GME leasing arrangements
Defence
Disciplinary complaints & NCAT appeals
Defending operators against ILGA complaints, prosecutions, and disciplinary action. Where defending head-on isn't the right answer, negotiating conditions that keep the venue trading on a sustainable footing.
- Section 139 disciplinary complaints
- Prosecutions under the Liquor Act 2007 (NSW)
- Section 79B disturbance complaints
- Fitness-and-propriety challenges
The licence-application journey
From first enquiry to licence in place.
Every licence application moves through the same stages. What changes is how cleanly each one runs. We tell you, in advance, what each stage will need from you and how long it should take.
Brief us on a licence matter- 01
Initial enquiry & scope
A short call to scope the venue, the licence type sought, and the timeline. We confirm whether the matter is straightforward or whether a contested-hearing pathway is foreseeable.
- 02
Site & operations review
Walk-through of the venue or proposed venue. We identify operational issues that could affect the licence (existing complaints, heritage curtilage, trading hours, capacity, parking) before the application is committed.
- 03
Community Impact Statement
We draft the CIS to the standard ILGA expects in 2026: venue-specific harm-minimisation undertakings, demographic and saturation analysis, and concrete operational controls. Generic CIS templates no longer land.
- 04
Pre-lodgment engagement
Engagement with police, council, and any community stakeholders before formal lodgment. Negotiating concerns at this stage usually settles them; carrying them into a public objection multiplies time and cost.
- 05
Application lodgment
Formal application via the Liquor & Gaming NSW portal with the full disclosure pack: CIS, plans, plans of management, fitness-and-propriety material, and supporting documentation.
- 06
Public notification & objections
30-day notification period during which objections may be lodged. We respond to objections in writing and, where required, attend ILGA mediation to negotiate conditions.
- 07
ILGA decision
Approval, conditions negotiation, or contested-hearing pathway. We appear at hearings where the matter goes that far, with prepared submissions and witnesses.
- 08
Licence grant & operations start
Grant conditions implemented, RSA training arranged where required, plans of management filed. The venue starts trading on the day the licence becomes operative, and we remain available for the inevitable post-grant operational questions.
Brief us
Initial scope, written response within one business day.
Send a short brief on the licensing matter and we'll respond with an initial scope, indicative timeline, and any early issues we'd flag, within one business day.
- Initial scoping is free and without obligation
- Direct contact with a partner from first instructions
- If the matter isn't a fit for us, we'll tell you
Client outcomes
In their words.
We very highly recommend Justin & the team at LAS Lawyers. They are very thorough, efficient & informative as well as being really lovely people to deal with. 10/10
KLKarlene LawsLAS LAW are leaders in their field. I really can't recommend them highly enough for their expert advice, consummate professionalism, and outstanding service. Justin Sammut is a stand out, ably supported by the wonderful Kaitlin Strong, who cleared every hurdle with ease. It's rare to come across a team who combines a depth of expertise with genuine regard for their clients, and Justin and Kaitlin truly set the standard.
ASA.P. SavageLAS lawyers came recommended to us and they didn't disappoint. Great communication, available when needed and Justin really went above and beyond to ensure we were well informed and looked after. Justin truly had our best interests at heart and made the client experience seamless. Look forward to working with them again.
AMAndrew McRae
Begin a licensing matter
Ready to move on the licence application?
Whether you're acquiring a venue, varying conditions, transferring a licence, or facing a regulator-led complaint, LAS Lawyers can guide the process and protect the operating position.
Or call (02) 9280 4599