VGCCC took 88 disciplinary actions in 2023-24
The regulator undertook more than 1,600 audits and completed 2,770 inspections in Victoria.
Australia.- The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has released a report on its actions in the 2023-2024 year. The regulator took 88 disciplinary actions: 78 against gambling employees, 3 against major licensees and 7 against other gambling licensees.
It undertook 1,633 audits, completed 2,770 inspections of venues and brought 10 successful prosecutions. The agency found 517 gambling breaches.
Actions against licensees include a fine against Tabcorp for repeated failure to comply with directions during a VGCCC investigation into a major system outage. Meanwhile, Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) was fined AU$480,000 for operating poker machines at venues outside of nominated trading hours and failing to observe mandatory shutdown periods.
VGCCC chair Fran Thorn said: “Our regulatory response is proportionate to the risks posed and harms caused when a gambling operator fails to comply with its obligations. We have no tolerance for deliberate or opportunistic contraventions of the law and will not hesitate to take appropriate action when we detect a breach.
“The success of the VGCCC’s new tip-off function, which makes it easier for members of the public to anonymously report inappropriate or suspicious conduct.” In the first year, the regulator received more than 260 tip-offs across a range of issues.
Thorn added: “We also worked with the AFL to implement tighter controls for Brownlow Medal voting and betting following reports that an umpire allegedly leaked the results of round-by-round voting in 2022. And in response to community concerns, we engaged with sports controlling bodies to successfully ban betting in Victoria on all under-19 sporting competitions and the performance of individual players under the age of 18 in junior and senior sports.”
In March, the VGCCC allowed Crown Melbourne to continue operating after finding the casino operator addressed the failings outlined in the 2021 Royal Commission’s report, which included breaches of legal, social and moral obligations leading to tax avoidance, money laundering, criminal associations, and harm to vulnerable community members. The Commission directed the company to implement a transformation plan to continue its reform.
