Victorian regulator fines Werribee gaming venue for self-exclusion failures
The venue failed to prevent two self-excluded customers from gambling.
Australia.- The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Werribee RSL AU$30,000 (US$19,765) for failing to prevent two self-excluded customers from gambling. The regulator said it received an anonymous message in January 2024 saying that a self-excluded person had entered the Werribee RSL gaming room and had access to machines. The venue self-reported a second breach after a different customer gambled on at least four occasions between February and May 2024.
VGCCC CEO Suzy Neilan said: “This is the first time the VGCCC has taken disciplinary action against a club or hotel for self-exclusion breaches. Self-exclusion programs empower people to manage their gambling by registering to be temporarily or permanently blocked from entering gambling areas of clubs, pubs and casinos. By failing to respect a person’s decision to self-exclude, a venue may put customers who have decided to take a break from gambling, or quit altogether, at risk of experiencing gambling harm.”
The VGCCC said Werribee RSL cooperated with its investigations and has taken steps to strengthen its procedures, which include improved staff training, daily audits of the self-exclusion register, and greater use of technology to identify self-excluded customers. These actions were taken into consideration in determining the amount of the fine.
Neilan added: “Taking disciplinary action is the last resort. We would prefer venues take their harm minimisation responsibilities seriously by complying with their legal obligations, including through the effective implementation of tools like self-exclusion. Venues and their staff are the last line of defence for self-excluded customers, who should be able to trust that their decision to self-exclude will be respected. They must have the appropriate controls in place to prevent self-excluded people from entering gaming rooms.”
