Two-up in Broken Hill: why it's legal all year and where the game is played

Why two-up is legal in Broken Hill

Liquor & Gaming NSW is direct about it. Its fact sheet says the Gambling (Two-up) Act 1998 “does not legalise the playing of two-up at any other time. The only exception to this is Broken Hill.” Everywhere else in NSW the game is lawful only on Anzac Day, on 15 August and after noon on 11 November.

Section 9(1) makes a game in Broken Hill lawful if it’s “conducted by or on behalf of the Council” at an approved location. It must also follow the conditions of the Minister’s authorisation under s 10. The location isn’t treated as gambling premises (s 9(3)). The authorisation sets the days and hours (s 11(1)(e)), and bets must be in money, with no credit (s 11(2)).

The arrangement is older than the current Act. Schedule 1, clause 2 carries over the council’s authorisation under s 50D of the Gaming and Betting Act 1912, so the game didn’t need a fresh start in 1998. The rest of the state works on the Anzac Day rule, and our page on why two-up is illegal sets out each state’s Act.

Commission is allowed in Broken Hill

Broken Hill’s game works differently from an Anzac Day ring. Under s 10(4) the council may charge for entry and participation and “receive a commission on, percentage of, or fee for, bets or winnings”. On Anzac Day elsewhere in NSW, s 7 bans exactly that.

On those days the only way to charge is the charity route. A registered club’s charge or commission must go entirely to charity, with none of it kept in club funds (s 8). A commission shifts the maths against players, and our page on two-up odds and the house edge shows by how much.

The Palace Hotel game

The game is at the Palace Hotel, 227 Argent Street. The hotel’s own site says it holds the single two-up licence issued for the city on behalf of Broken Hill City Council. It adds that “generally you can catch a game in the Palace on Fridays from 9pm”. Broken Hill City Council’s own two-up page was unavailable when we checked, so the hotel is our source for the schedule.

“Generally” is the hotel’s word, and the days and hours come from the Minister’s authorisation, which can change. Confirm the night and the start time with the hotel before you travel, especially if you’re driving in for one evening.

Anzac Day in Broken Hill

On Anzac Day, Broken Hill follows the same rule as the rest of NSW. Any venue other than gambling premises can run a game under s 7, with no entry fee, no commission and no permit needed. The council-authorised game is separate: it’s the one that can run on the other days of the year. Our page on two-up on Anzac Day covers the day itself.

How the game came to be licensed

According to the Palace Hotel’s site and a Newcastle Herald report of 25 April 2024, police closed an illegal two-up school off Argent Street in 1984. In 1992, by the same accounts, the council won permission to run the game all year. The game was recognised as “an established part of the cultural heritage of this mining city”.

The legal record fits that outline. The council’s authorisation was made under s 50D of the Gaming and Betting Act 1912 and continued under the 1998 Act. The state regulator still names Broken Hill as the only exception to the Anzac Day rule. The wider history of two-up, from the first recorded use of the name in 1884, is on its own page.

Before you go

Two-up is for adults: Liquor & Gaming NSW states that people under 18 can’t play. Bring cash, since the Act requires bets in money with no credit. Set a limit before the first toss; for free, confidential support, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858. Our page of two-up rules covers the calls and the spinner’s run of three heads.

If you’re travelling on into Western Australia, the goldfields have a bush ring of their own: tourism listings put regular Sunday games at the Kalgoorlie two-up shed, under WA’s permit rules. Published days for that ring vary, so check them the same way you would for the Palace.