Sixteen licensed venues have been granted exemptions from the lockout laws in central Sydney and Kings Cross since September last year, the latest figures reveal.

The trade-off is that alcohol cannot be sold after 1.30am but customers can still enter to play poker machines.

Under laws introduced last year for CBD and Kings Cross venues at high risk of alcohol-related violence, patrons cannot enter a premises after 1.30am and alcohol service must cease at 3am.