Extended trading hours for the Rugby World Cup 2023

Why this is happening

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Amendment Act makes temporary changes to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 during the men’s Rugby World Cup 2023.

These temporary changes allow on-licence and club licence holders to extend their trading hours to televise live games from the tournament, without the need to apply for special licences.

Who can extend their hours

Club licence or on-licence holders can extend their permitted trading hours if the main reason for opening is to allow customers to watch live games from the Rugby World Cup 2023.

Who cannot extend their hours

You cannot extend your trading hours if you have:

had the conditions of your licence varied or suspended under section 280 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 in the past year, or
had your licence suspended or cancelled during the Rugby World Cup 2023.

What you need to do to extend your hours

You must notify us and your nearest police station of the games you intend to open for.

You must make the notification in writing at least seven days before each game you intend to screen. This excludes the day of the match and the day of the notification.

If you change your mind about opening for a game, you must contact us and your nearest police station as soon as possible.

See the Rugby World Cup France 2023 for the complete match schedule.

When you can open and sell alcohol for after-hours games

If a game starts during your normal permitted trading hours, you can remain open for the whole match.

If a game starts less than two hours after your usual closing time, you do not have to close leading up to the game.

If a game starts more than two hours after the end of your normal permitted trading hours, you must close at your usual time, then reopen one hour before the start of the game.

When you must stop selling alcohol and close

You must stop serving alcohol 30 minutes after the game ends (if this is outside of your normal permitted trading hours).

Businesses such as taverns and bars need to make sure that all patrons have left the premises and doors are closed one hour after the game ends, unless their normal operating hours for the following day have already started.

Other licensed premises such as clubs, cafes and restaurants may remain open after the game ends but will not be able to sell alcohol until their normal permitted trading hours.

Conditions on the extended trading hours

During the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the Amendment Act will override certain conditions related to restrictions on trading hours and one-way door policies.

However, you must comply with all other conditions that apply to your normal licensed trading hours (for example, restrictions on types of drinks sold or who the premises can sell and supply alcohol to).

Offences in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, that the Amendment Act does not override, still apply during extended trading hours (for example, not serving intoxicated people).

Not displaying information about the extended trading hours alongside a licensee’s other licensing information is also an offence. This is punishable by a fine of up to $5000 under section 259 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

Licensees in breach of the conditions in the Amendment Act could also have their extended hours privileges immediately revoked. This may happen if the police or a licensing inspector files an application for an order under section 280 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.

Noise management plan

You must display your noise management plan along side your other notification and licence information.

You need to keep noise levels down when screening after-hours games.

You cannot:

dispose of empty bottles or other rubbish in open areas
leave any rubbish for collection in open areas
use the premise’s open areas at all (even those used for smoking)
use audio equipment in open areas (such as loudspeakers).

You must put extra measures in place to reduce noise, appropriate to the premises’ location and the time of the games, as well as follow the usual noise restriction conditions of your licence.