The Victoria Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) charged the Preston Hotel in May this year for allowing a 16-year-old to gamble at their betting terminals on six occasions between May and September 2022. The case was taken to magistrate where an agreed fine was reduced and the conviction was not recorded, due to the venue operator’s early plea and steps taken to rectify the issue. The magistrate emphasized the responsibility of the industry and venues in preventing minors from gambling. VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt welcomed the decision, stating that accepting bets from minors is unacceptable and sends a clear message to the industry.
This is the first of several similar cases that will be heard in court in the coming months. In September, Tabcorp and eight venues were charged by VGCCC for allegedly allowing minors to gamble on electronic betting terminals. Tabcorp faced a total of 54 charges including counts of underage gambling and failing to supervise terminals. The venues and a Tabcorp-owned TAB agency were also charged with similar offenses. A further eight venues have been named in the wider case.
Shortly after these cases came to light, it was revealed that Rumotel, operator of the Tower Hotel in Victoria, could face a fine of up to AU$1.4m for allegedly breaching responsible gambling rules. The VGCCC alleges that Rumotel failed to ensure a responsible gambling officer was always available on the gaming floor and did not properly maintain a responsible gambling register at the Tower Hotel. Additional charges were issued against the Tower Hotel operator, following previous charges related to staff training and failure to have mandatory pre-commitment technology functioning on electronic gaming machines and kiosks.
