On 28 October 2021 the Victorian Parliament passed changes to the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 (the Act). 

From 15 March 2022, holders of a full club licence will be authorised to supply liquor to members of the public at a function or club event held on the licensed premises.

This authority commences on 15 March 2022, even if it is not currently specified on your club’s liquor licence. Your full club licence will be updated during 2022 to include this authority.

If (alongside a full club licence) your club currently holds a separate renewable limited licence for the sole purpose of supplying liquor to members of the public at a function or club event, the renewable limited licence will no longer be required.

As there is no longer a requirement to maintain two liquor licences, clubs should surrender the renewable limited licence. If your club’s renewable limited licence includes conditions authorising activities other than the supply of liquor to members of the public at a function or club event, then you may choose not to surrender it.

For questions regarding your renewable limited licence, or the licence surrender process, please contact the VGCCC.

Supplying liquor to club members via online orders

As a full club licence holder, you can only supply packaged liquor to club members (not guests or non-members). You are also required to ensure any liquor deliveries are made before 11pm.

From 15 March 2022, full club licence holders who are currently, or intend to commence, supplying liquor via online orders are required by law to notify the VGCCC.

You are required to notify the VGCCC that you are supplying liquor via online orders regardless of whether you were already undertaking this activity before 15 March 2022.

To do this: 

1. send an email to [email protected] 
2. add to the subject line: Notification to commence liquor supply by orders placed online – licence number: (include your liquor licence number)

New statutory conditions for supplying liquor to club members via online orders

From 15 March 2022, there will be several new conditions in the Act that you must comply with when supplying liquor via online orders. Existing conditions, such as only supplying liquor for consumption off the licensed premises to club members, remain.

If you are supplying liquor via online orders, you are required to: 

• display your liquor licence number prominently on your website or on any other online platform or interface on which liquor orders are placed, as well as in any promotional or advertising material relating to online ordering
• display any other notice the VGCCC may require on your website or any other online platform or interface on which liquor orders can be placed
• provide instructions to the person responsible for delivering the liquor that delivery must occur before 11pm.

If the liquor order is not intended as a gift, for first-time orders the new conditions also require that you: 

• request the customer who placed the order to confirm they are 18 years old or older
• provide instructions to the delivery person that the liquor must only be delivered and received by the customer who placed the order, and whose age must be verified by the delivery person via a proof-of-age document.

The above conditions will not apply to subsequent online orders made by the same customer. However, you are required to: 

• obtain instructions from the customer about where to leave the order if the customer is not present at the time of the subsequent delivery and provide these instructions to the delivery person
• provide instructions to the delivery person that the order must only be delivered in accordance with the instructions obtained from the customer.

If the liquor order is placed by a customer to be delivered to another person as a gift, the new conditions require you to: 

• request the customer who placed the order to confirm they and the recipient of the gift are both of 18 years of age or over
• obtain the name and address of the recipient of the gift
• provide instructions to the delivery person that the liquor must only be delivered to the recipient or a person who is 18 years old or older and present at the address provided. The age of the recipient or the person must also be verified by the delivery person via an proof-of-age document.

The Minister may also (but has yet to) make an order requiring licensees authorised to supply liquor online to retain records relating to online order deliveries.

If you have any queries regarding these changes and their effect on your licence, please contact us at [email protected]

Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission