Hotel gaming machine operating authorities tender sales
Three-year extension of reduced transfer fees
The Government has approved a three-year extension of reduced transfer fees associated with the authorised sale of gaming machine operating authorities by Queensland hotels.
The Gaming Machine Amendment Regulation 2025 was made on 26 June 2025 and extends the trial to 30 June 2028. During that period, the amount due to be paid into the consolidated fund as the result of the sale of operating authorities will remain at 15% of the total amount received from successful purchasers, rather than the 33% that would normally apply. The extension will allow for further assessment of the effect of the reduced payments on the authority market, alongside other recent (non-legislative) adjustments to trial parameters.
The trial aims to improve the operation of the authority market and support new development in the hotel industry. The extension of the trial aligns with the Government’s commitment to work with hotels in Queensland to support their businesses and the community.
By way of background, on 1 July 2022, a trial began to make it easier to transfer operating authorities, including by:
- publishing the minimum acceptable price
- reducing the amount paid into the Queensland Government Consolidated Fund from 33% to 15%.
The trial ends on 30 June 2028.
Hotel licensees with a gaming machine licence must have an ‘operating authority’ for each gaming machine. The number of gaming machines in Queensland is capped.
Eligible licensees can only get an operating authority through an authorised sale by the Queensland Public Trustee. Sales are conducted by competitive tender in 3 regions. Operating authorities can only be bought and sold in the region where they originated.
May 2025 Tender Results
The tender opened on 7 May and closed on 28 May.
Minimum acceptable prices and available authorities for sale across the three regions are:
The hotel sector is at capacity under our cap of 19,500 EGM’s. Authorities only become available via existing venues decreasing EGM’s or surrendering entire gaming licence within each respective pool’s geographic area.