Regulator urges venues to ban filming in gaming rooms in Victoria
The VGCCC warns that social media videos promoting electronic gaming machines could breach gambling laws and expose venues to compliance risks.
Australia.- The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has called on gaming venues in Victoria to consider implementing no filming policies in their gaming machine areas. The recommendation was made due to the growing number of social media posts by influencers featuring electronic gaming machines (EGMs).
According to the regulator, it has observed an increase in videos filmed inside gaming rooms that advertise or promote the use of EGMs. Under Victoria’s Gambling Regulation Act 2003, the advertising or promotion of gaming machines is prohibited, regardless of whether it is carried out by venues or private individuals.
The VGCCC warned that influencers who publish such content may be in breach of the law and could face penalties. At the same time, venues that allow or facilitate the creation of this content may also be exposing themselves to compliance risks.
“Venues are directly prohibited from advertising or promoting the use of EGMs, and facilitating social media influencers may present a compliance risk,” the regulator stated.
The regulator said that prohibiting filming could help venues reduce the risk of inadvertently breaching gambling advertising regulations. It has also made a downloadable poster available for venues to display in order to communicate the policy. Several venues have already taken such a measure after seeing influencers recording content on their premises.
