A promotion at a Newcastle pub offering of the winner's height in alcoholic drinks as a prize is among a handful of examples that have prompted the state's liquor authority to urge venue operators to remember the safety of patrons, as students prepare to start the university year.
Liquor & Gaming NSW is asking venues to avoid offering promotions that encourage rapid or excessive consumption of alcohol and ensure staff check IDs.
The warning comes as thousands of students attend social events as part of O-week.
The Newcastle Herald reported on Monday that students were being warned about the dangers of drink spiking as figures revealed Newcastle had the second-highest rate in NSW in 2021-22.
The liquor authority said in a statement a Newcastle hotel had previously offered punters a chance to 'Win Your Height' in premixed vodka cans.
Meanwhile, a Wollongong venue had given away a $100 bar tab as a 'Back To School' prize.
One Sydney venue, in Darling Harbour, had served 'shots' of alcohol in buckets and another, a cafe at Darlinghurst, was selling grog in giant martini glasses containing the equivalent of eight standard drinks.
More recently, a venue in Newtown was offering heavily discounted drinks to students attending O-week events at a nearby university.
It has since been issued a notice to restrict the promotion from its previous finish time of 11pm until earlier in the night, when food is still being served.
Liquor & Gaming NSW Regulatory Operations and Enforcement executive director Jane Lin said community safety needed to take precedence for both licensed venues and students during O-week.
"Starting university is an exciting new chapter in young people's lives and certainly an event worth celebrating," Ms Lin said.
"We just want to ensure that venues keep patron safety in mind during O-week festivities."
As well as monitoring liquor promotions, inspectors from Liquor & Gaming NSW routinely inspect pubs and clubs to ensure licensees are checking IDs and are actively working to prevent intoxication.
Irresponsible alcohol promotions are targeted through measures including monitoring websites and social media channels of licensed venues.
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