RCG or RGS (Responsible Conduct of Gambling) courses are now mandatory for individuals working in venues that provide gaming services including hoteliers, secretary managers and gaming-related staff. There are no exemptions, so any employees that hold these positions will need to complete the course successfully to obtain this certification.

Just because you need to take a course doesn’t mean that you will need to attend classes for months on a full-time basis. You will be happy to know that RCG courses are actually in a workshop style format and take just 6.5 hours to complete. The goal of this course is to encourage healthy and responsible attitudes when providing and facilitating gaming entertainment. During the course, you will learn about applicable gaming laws and regulations, how to promote gambling activities in an ethical and responsible manner, as well as useful strategies that you can employ to inform and educate gambling patrons who may be at risk of developing gambling issues. This helps minimize cases of problem gambling, as venue staff will have the knowledge needed to help patrons who may be experiencing problems with gambling.

Once you complete the course and the examination, you will receive an interim certificate and Statement of Attainment (SoA) that is recognized around the nation. Graduates will need to present the interim certificate and 100 points of identification at a participating Australia Post office to apply for an OLGR Photo Competency Card. This card is valid for five years and serves as proof that you have completed the necessary RCG courses. You will need to show your photo competency card whenever you apply for employment for any job that is related to gaming.

Update: From 31st July 2015 you will need to take your certificate to a NSW Service Centre or RMS Office where you will be able to obtain your photo card. You can look up your closest location with the Service NSW centre locator .