A Wellington bar owner could be stripped of his liquor license for offering a bar tab as a pub quiz prize.

Courtney Place's Dakota Bar advertises a first prize reward of a $150 tab.

Owner Jose Ubiaga has to appear before the council's Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority.

He says he's been told to reword offering winners a food and drink voucher, to avoid the perception he was giving away alcohol.

He says it can be used to pay for anything at the bar.

"Ironically, when people do redeem our bar tab, 95 percent of our sales will be food and non-alcoholic drinks."

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