Victoria’s liquor and gaming regulator reports it has held industry “to account” through its new risk-based, intelligence-led regulatory approach, leading to a year of proactive enforcement.
In 2023–24, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) implemented the revised approach toward regulation and enforcement. This has led to 88 disciplinary actions against gambling licensees and employees, with zero tolerance for betting involving minors.
The Commission’s annual report was tabled in Victorian Parliament, stressing a commitment to ensuring licensees both abide by the letter of the law and also its spirit.
“Our regulatory response is proportionate to the risks posed and harms caused when a gambling operator fails to comply with its obligations,” says Chair Fran Thorn.
In the past year, the VGCCC undertook more than 1,600 audits, completed 2,770 venue inspections, including a regional blitz, and made 10 successful prosecutions.
“We have no tolerance for deliberate or opportunistic contraventions of the law and will not hesitate to take appropriate action when we detect a breach,” adds Thorn.
Disciplinary action was taken against assorted entities, including betting giant Tabcorp and the country’s largest pub operator, Australian Leisure & Hospitality (ALH).
In January Tabcorp was fined $1 million for repeated failure to comply with directions during an investigation by the regulator into a major system outage, and ALH was fined $480K for failing to observe mandatory shutdown periods and for operating poker machines at eight venues outside of nominated trading hours.
In February the former operator of the Rye Hotel, Myndit P/L, was fined $80K and forced to surrender its licence, after being caught in multiple breaches of cheque payment and financial record-keeping requirements, including an occasion where a cheque for EGM winnings was paid to a person who was not even at the venue.
ALH was penalised again later in the year, found to have permitted underage gambling on multiple occasions at five different venues.
And this month the operator of the Goulburn Valley Hotel in Shepparton was fined $100K for not detailing prior misdoings by the licensee on a gaming application.
Earlier this year the VGCCC ruled Crown Melbourne was fit to hold its casino licence, after two years under the supervision of the government-appointed Special Manager.
“The licence comes with strict operating conditions, including that Crown continue its reform program under a 3-year Transformation Plan against which it will be held to account,” noted Thorn.
The regulator also demonstrated its authority in denying Romsey Football Club its application for gaming at the Romsey Hotel, in June, and in August it rolled out new regulations for mandatory 4am-10am gaming room closure periods.
The success of the new tip-off function was highlighted, reportedly receiving over 260 inquiries across a range of issues during its first year. The system has made it easier for members of the public to anonymously report what they see as inappropriate or suspicious conduct.
Following one such complaint from a member of the public the VGCCC investigated and prosecuted bookmaker Bluebet P/L for illegally displaying gambling advertising on a public road. The company was found guilty of 43 charges and fined $50K.
Similarly stemming from “community concerns” was action in association with the controlling bodies of sports to ban betting in Victoria on all under-19 sporting competitions and on the performance of individual under-18 players.
Beyond investigations and tip-offs, the Commission also worked with the AFL to implement tighter controls on betting on the Brownlow Medal voting, due to reports that an umpire had allegedly previously leaked results.
“We have a responsibility to ensure gambling activities in Victoria are conducted in compliance with regulatory obligations and providers operate safely, fairly and with integrity,” concluded Thorn.
The VGCCC’s full annual report is available on its website HERE.
