NSW Seeks to Address Hospitality and Casino Staff Shortages

A strike is looming in Atlantic City, New Jersey. One of the beating hearts of the United States, this quirky anatomical simile aside, may come to a stop, as employees are preparing to strike on July 1 and July 3, and possibly extend their efforts to cut a better deal with the city’s casinos. What’s happening in Atlantic City is happening in much of the United States and beyond, including Australia.

Refresher Courses to Help with Hospitality Labor Shortages

Staff shortages in the hospitality and casino industries have impinged on financial results and slowed down recovery. This is why the New South Wales (NSW) Liquor and Gaming Authority is looking to continue hosting hospitality refresher courses in 2023 to address the issue.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made many sector employees skittish and unwilling to go back to gaming floors where the disease was potentially transmitted, despite companies’ assurances of state-of-the-art air filtration systems. Even with the worse of the pandemic behind, NSW minister for hospitality and racing Kevin Anderson feels there needs more to be done in order to ensure there are enough qualified and trained workers.

Anderson realizes that one of the main issues is not so much the lack of raw skills, or even enough bodies, but rather the fact that their certifications have lapsed. This is why the local government is hoping to ensure that it’s easy for people who want to go back have an easy, quick and worthwhile way to do so.

Consumers also stand to benefit though, as Anderson assures that through those refresher courses people would remain trained and up to standard. Anderson added:

The same goes for the Responsible Conduct of Gambling certificate– if you work around poker machines you need to have specific training to identify and minimize gambling harm.

Kevin Anderson, minister for hospitality and racing, New South Wales

Obtaining Licenses Does Away with Red Tape

The announcement was welcomed by Australian Hotels Association NSW director of liquor and policing, John Green, who said that making the process simpler would mean that more people feel inclined to explore returning to these industries. Workers also have the opportunity to obtain the Responsible Service of Alcohol certification.

So far, some 16,000 people have done so. New South Wales has also been in the process of overhauling its gambling industry by tightening governing rules and introducing a brand new regulator to address the shortcomings and failings of gambling giants such as Crown Resorts and Star Entertainment Group.