Gambling regulation in Australia: ALH fined US$119,400 for allowing a minor to gamble

A teenager was found to have gambled multiple times between September 2022 to October 2023.

Australia.- The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) AU$177,500 (US$119,400) after the company admitted to 24 charges of allowing a minor to gamble and to be in a poker machine area, and for failing to ensure electronic betting terminals were reasonably supervised at all times.

The regulator found that a teenager gambled on multiple occasions at five venues between September 2022 and October 2023, The venues involved were: the Albion Charles Hotel, Cramers Hotel, Doncaster Hotel, Excelsior Hotel and the Rose Shamrock & Thistle Hotel.

It also found that, in August 2023, an eight-year-old child in the company of an adult was not stopped from entering the poker machine area at another ALH venue, Westside Taverner. The venue’s staff communicated with the adult accompanying the minor, asking them to leave, and then notified the VGCCC about the incident.

VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt AM said: “It is well established that minors who gamble are more likely to experience severe harm from gambling as adults. All venues therefore have a legal and social obligation to protect children from that risk. We have zero tolerance for operators that flout the law, especially when children are involved.

“While I commend the staff at Westside Taverner for intervening when they became aware there was a minor in the poker machine area, it is never acceptable for a child to gain access to a venue’s gambling area.”

ALH was fined AU$175,000 for the teenager, AU$2,500 for the child and ordered to pay the VGCCC AU$45,000 in costs.

In August, the regulator also imposed an AU$4.6m (US$3.08m) fine on Tabcorp for breaches of the Wagering and Betting Licence and Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct between August 2020 and February 2023. Tabcorp was found to have repeatedly sent marketing material to a customer who had requested not to receive it.

The company failed to adequately train its employees to minimise gambling harm and did not provide proper support to a distressed customer exhibiting signs of potential gambling harm. A Tabcorp account manager called a customer about their concerning betting patterns but ended the call by offering an AU$2000 (US$1,340) deposit match promotion.

See also: Victoria looks set to introduce default AU$50 daily loss limit for gaming machines