VGCCC fines Rye Hotel for integrity breaches

The VGCCC has fined Rye Hotel AU$80,000.

Australia.- The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has imposed an AU$80,000 (US$52,000) fine on the owner of Rye Hotel following two instances of integrity breaches. It has also ordered it to commit to selling the venue and leaving the gambling sector.

In the first incident, senior staff members were found to have tampered with records to conceal an erroneous cash payment of AU$2,039 made to a patron. This breached the rule that winnings of over AU$2,000 must be disbursed via cheque or electronic funds transfer (EFT). The attempt to mask the breach was deemed a severe infraction of integrity protocols and indicative of misconduct.

A second breach occurred when the venue issued a cheque to an unauthorised person at the request of a winning patron who failed to provide proper identification. Regulatory standards stipulate that gambling venues must verify the identity of those claiming winnings from electronic gaming machines.

VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt AM said: “Venue operators and owners need to understand the full extent of consequences for falsifying records and concealing misconduct. We know that honest mistakes happen. However, venue operators that attempt to cover up breaches will be caught and face serious repercussions.” 

The investigation was initiated following a complaint by a member of the public. 

See also: VGCCC takes no action after investigation of Crown Resorts CEO