Please visit Liquor Control Victoria’s website for liquor licensing, compliance, and regulatory information.
Licensees have clear obligations under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 to serve alcohol responsibly. This page outlines guidelines and principles in relation to responsible alcohol advertising and promotions.
We have resources available to assist licensees understand responsible advertising and promotion of liquor such as the VGCCC Guidelines for responsible liquor advertising and promotions.
If licensees are unsure whether their current or proposed advertising or promotions comply with Victorian liquor laws, they may wish to obtain external advice.
The Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC) Scheme conducts a pre-vetting service (a paid service) that assesses proposed marketing communications, including product names and packaging, against the ABAC Responsible Alcohol Marketing Code. This service may assist licensees in ensuring that proposed liquor advertising or promotions are responsible. For more information, see About the ABAC Pre-Vetting Service
From 18 July 2018, licensees are prohibited from displaying or causing to be displayed, static alcohol advertising within 150 metres of the perimeter of a school. This includes:
Alcohol advertising means any information, term, expression, symbol or other thing that gives publicity to, or otherwise promotes liquor.
There are certain exemptions to this ban. The prohibition on static alcohol advertising near schools does not apply where the advertising is:
Further information on this is available on the Alcohol advertising near schools page.
The VGCCC has the power to ban inappropriate advertising or promotions. This may also result in the VGCCC seeking to vary, suspend or cancel a liquor licence for failing to comply.
When using these powers, the VGCCC will take into account whether the promotion is likely to encourage irresponsible consumption of alcohol or is otherwise not in the public interest.
For an up-to-date example list of banned promotions, see Promotions banned by the VGCCC