Licencing Laws
Review the following legislation requirements for implementing alcohol management strategies in your organisation, facility or club.
Click here to become a Good Sports club and start promoting the responsible use of alcohol in your sport!
Sporting organisations have a duty of care to ensure the responsible use of alcohol when alcohol is available. Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training is a legal requirement for many licenced sporting establishments who serve alcohol and is regulated by the Victoria Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR).
RSA training provides clubs with the knowledge and awareness to responsibly serve alcohol along with preventing and managing intoxication among members and guests who consume alcohol.
During the Healthy Sporting Environments Program, Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training was provided to clubs with great uptake from the majority of bar staff (84%) and committee members (64%). The high level of completion of the RSA training is considered to be a result of the Healthy Sporting Environments program.
Queenscliff Cricket Club became a Level 3 Good Sports Club and conducted a Responsible service of Alcohol course which attracted 25 participants (Healthy Sporting Environments evaluation).
Click to read the Good Sports Fact Sheet on The Importance of RSA.
Online services are available from the Victoria Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation including access to an online RSA refresher courses and checking the validity of RSA certificates.
RSA training is a key requirement for becoming an accredited Good Sports level 1 club.
Click here to become a Good Sports club and start promoting the responsible use of alcohol in your sport!
If your club wishes to sell or permit alcohol onto the premises, there are several types of licences that sporting organisations can apply for, depending on the club setting and circumstances. These include:
The VCGLR Our Club resource kit provides sporting clubs with guidance and tools on the different types of liquor licencing to ensure the legal and responsible use of alcohol.
Click here to find out what advice Good Sports offers on being a responsible club including tips on liquor licencing and bar management.
The VCGLR provide guidelines for responsible alcohol advertising and promotion. This includes 16 principles that consider the following:
- Type and strength of alcohol
- Price
- Duration
- Frequency timing/timeframe
- Type of activity
Click here to read the guidelines Fact Sheet.
Alcohol sponsorship is not uncommon in sport and is often communicated to the public in the forms of signage, uniform logos, promotional materials, television, print and radio advertisements.
According to the Alcohol Advertising Review Board (2017), four in five Australians are concerned by the current level that children are exposed to alcohol promotion. Research suggests that later in life there could be impact on their attitudes and behaviours towards alcohol consumption. It is recommended that sporting organisations consider the risk of alcohol related harm and refrain from entering into sponsorship agreements and promotion that endorses alcohol consumption, particularly in clubs where children are present.
Click here to be redirected to the Healthy Eating section of Healthy and Welcoming Sport webpage to learn about developing a Healthy Sponsorship Policy that also provides a list of alcohol free sponsorship, awards and voucher ideas.
This Healthy sponsorship template can be adapted to suit the needs of your organisation.
