Australia's leading electronic pokies operator fined in Victoria
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) for failing to comply with regulations. An Endeavor Group subsidiary reportedly operated electronic gaming machines (EGMs) outside of permitted hours at several of its properties.
The gambling regulator said in a press release on Thursday that it had fined ALH A$480,000 ($323,760). This latest penalty brings ALH’s total fines this year for EGM-related violations to more than $1 million.
The VGCCC investigation found that ALH held shareholder meetings at eight of its sites outside of required opening hours and failed to adhere to required closing times. These closures are a requirement to ensure that EGM users take regular breaks and do not continue gambling for long periods of time.
Victoria keeps an eye on ALH
ALH’s out-of-hours operations include 15 AGMs held at eight locations between February and May this year. Affected venues include the First and Last Hotel, Croxton Park Hotel, Albion Charles Hotel, Berwick Inn Taverner, Millers Inn Hotel, Village Green Hotel and Elsternwick Hotel.
Of these, the VGCCC fined Boundary Taverner A$60,000 (US$40,470) for the breach. The fine applies to the May 25 breach, although regulators did not say why the penalty was singled out for that property.
All facilities providing EGMs in Victoria are required to report machine operating hours to the VGCCC. They must also turn off machines for four hours a day to curb gambling damage.
Earlier this year ALH, which has 4,690 machines across 76 venues in Victoria, was fined A$550,000 ($370,975) in the state. A previous investigation revealed that 220 EGMs failed to install mandatory pre-commit technology called YourPlay.
YourPlay is a system that allows players to set time and loss limits. This enables them to make informed gambling decisions and the purpose of the mandatory installation is to promote responsible gambling behaviour.
New South Wales expands control scope
In another development, the New South Wales (NSW) government is pushing for changes to how EGMs operate. The aim is to become the state with the strictest responsible gambling practices in Australia.
New South Wales announced a week ago that it had approved the expansion of its cashless gaming pilot across the state. It will cover 4,500 EGMs at 28 estates in 24 different regional jurisdictions. The expansion follows recommendations from an independent group formed last July to oversee gambling reform in the state.
Minimum standards for this process include anti-money laundering, harm reduction and data protection, as well as safeguards to increase data security. The New South Wales Government has given conditional approval to five technology providers to participate in the new trial.
These initiatives reflect the growing importance of responsible gambling in Australia, with both Victoria and New South Wales taking proactive steps to minimize gambling harm. The VGCCC’s enforcement action and the NSW Government’s proposed reforms demonstrate legislators’ determination to emphasize responsible gambling across the country.
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Source: www.casino.org
