Working or want to work in a venue that has gaming machines? If you’re in New South Wales, then you’ll likely need an RCG certificate. If you’re not in NSW, then you’ll be looking at an RSG certificate.
RCG training is mandatory for anyone whose work involves gaming machines or gambling. It’s purpose is to give staff the skills and knowledge to promote responsible gambling, minimise gambling harm, and comply with NSW law.
What is an RCG Certificate?
An RCG (Responsible Conduct of Gambling) certificate is the official competency you need to legally work in any role involving gaming machines in NSW.
Finishing an RCG course will award you with the nationally recognised unit of competency SITHGAM022 – Provide Responsible Gambling Services, which covers the skills and knowledge required to deliver gambling services responsibly and support patrons who may be experiencing gambling related harm.
Who needs an RCG Certificate?
RCG training is mandatory if your work duties involve gaming machines. The training applies to:
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Licensees with a full hotel licence
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Secretaries of a registered club
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Directors of registered clubs with gaming machines, unless they have completed Responsible Gambling Board Oversight training (from 30 June 2025)
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Directors of companies that own hotels with gaming machines, who are involved in the operations of hotels (from 30 June 2025)
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Staff with gaming machine duties
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Staff who pay out winnings
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Staff who patrol or serve in a gaming machine area
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Responsible Gambling Officers (RGOs)
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Any person planning to enrol in Advanced Responsible Conduct of Gambling (ARCG) training
How do I get an RCG in Australia?
Getting your RCG is pretty simple.
To begin with you’ll need to select your RCG training provider. For the course to be valid, it has to be done through a Liquor & Gaming NSW Approved Training Provider (ATP). Check on their website to find an ATP.
CTA Training Specialists is an approved provider (RTO #31607), delivering the course virtually via Zoom with a live, L&GNSW-approved trainer. We are there under our trading name: Club Training NSW
Once you have selected an ATP, enrol and complete the RCG course, either face-to-face or in a live virtual session. When you enrol, make sure you provide a current email address and mobile number, because that's where your assessment link will be sent later.
Once you've finished, your training provider issues your Statement of Attainment and lodges your completion with Liquor & Gaming NSW. L&GNSW then emails and texts you a link to their online assessment. The online assessment consists of 25 questions, mostly multiple choice, which you complete in your own time. You'll need to answer all 25 correctly to pass, though you get unlimited attempts at each question as you work through it.
After you pass, you receive your RCG Interim Certificate, valid for 90 days, which lets you start working with gaming machines immediately. To convert this into your competency card, take the interim certificate along with 100 points of ID to a Service NSW centre. If you already hold an RSA competency card, your RCG endorsement is added automatically. Once your identity is verified, you can access a digital competency card through the Service NSW app, with the physical card mailed to you within about four weeks.
Can I do an RCG Online?
In NSW, you cannot complete your RCG as a fully self-paced online course. T NSW RCG must be delivered live. Either face-to-face in a classroom or virtually through a real-time session with an approved trainer.
At CTA Training Specialists, we teach our RCG courses as a virtual course. A virtual course is live and instructor-led, you simply attend from home over video rather than travelling to a classroom.
This means you get the convenience of completing the course from home (or anywhere with a stable internet connection) while still meeting the live-delivery requirement set by L&GNSW. For most students this is the preferred option.
The L&GNSW online assessment, which you complete after completing your course, can be done on your own device in your own time. You can complete it on a desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet.
What does the RCG course cover?
The RCG course covers:
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The different types of gambling available in NSW and Australia.
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How gambling problems arise and its impact on those around affected individuals.
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The regulations in place to minimise gambling harm
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How to effectively recognise, assist and report those effected by gambling harm
After you finish an RCG course, you should:
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Understand the lay of the land – the different types and popularity of gaming and gambling in NSW and Australia
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How to promote responsible gambling services
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How to minimise gambling harm in your venue
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Your responsibilities and expectations when working in a gaming area or venue
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How to identify, respond and assist patrons who are showing signs of problematic gambling behaviours
How much does an RCG cost?
For just an RCG through CTA Training Specialists, we charge: $165.
We also offer bundles!
If you book both an RCG and an ARCG through us at the same time, the price is: $404.
We also do a RSA and RCG bundle which is: $284.
What are the requirements to get an RCG?
To complete the RCG course, you'll need:
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A USI (Unique Student Identifier) — this is required to receive your Statement of Attainment. If you don't already have one, you can apply for a USI for free through the official government website before your course.
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A unique email address that hasn't been used to complete the course previously. This matters because your assessment link from Liquor & Gaming NSW is tied to your contact details, so it needs to be current and your own.
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A suitable device with a strong internet connection — since the course is delivered live via Zoom, a reliable connection makes a real difference to your experience.
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A recording device to capture the practical components of the assessment, where you'll demonstrate the scenarios covered in the course.
To then obtain your competency card, you'll need:
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100 points of ID, which you take along with your Interim Certificate to a Service NSW centre to verify your identity. (If you already hold an RSA competency card, your RCG endorsement is added to it automatically, so this step doesn't apply.)
Does my RCG expire?
Your RCG is valid for a maximum of 5 years. After it expires you will have to renew your competency.
The renewal itself is done through an online RCG Refresher course, not by re-sitting the full RCG. This is an important distinction: redoing the complete course through a training provider will not renew your competency card. Only the official refresher updates your endorsement, so it's worth knowing which one you actually need when the time comes.
If you already hold an RSA competency card. Because NSW combines RSA and RCG on a single card, your RCG endorsement will expire at the same time as that card, not five years from the day you complete the RCG. So if your card already has, say, two years left on it, your newly added RCG will also expire in two years rather than five.
A quick useful tip: if your RSA is due for renewal soon, it's generally better to renew the RSA first and then complete your RCG. That way both sit on a freshly issued card, and your RCG stays valid for as close to the full five years as possible.
Can I get an RCG on the same day?
CTA Training Specialists can issue your Statement of Attainment on the same day you complete the course, so the training component itself can absolutely be wrapped up in a single day.
The part to be aware of is that your Statement of Attainment isn't the final step. After your course, Liquor & Gaming NSW sends you a separate online assessment, and you only receive your Interim Certificate once you've passed it.
Can International Students and Visa Holders get an RCG?
Yes. Visa holders and international students can complete the RCG course with CTA Training Specialists.
You'll need a USI (Unique Student Identifier) to receive your Statement of Attainment. If you don't already have one, you can apply for a USI for free through the official government website.
I’ve done an RSG in another state, what happens?
An RSG (Responsible Service of Gambling) certificate from another state is not valid in NSW. Even though the courses cover similar ground, NSW requires you to hold its own RCG competency to work with gaming machines, so you'll need to complete the NSW RCG course to obtain your Interim Certificate and competency card.
