By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier
A Victorian gaming attendant has been prosecuted after playing a gaming machine at his place of employ after hours.
The man was found guilty of playing a gaming machine outside of venue operating hours, which is in direct violations of section 3.5.22(1) of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, which states that a person must not play a gaming machine in an approved venue at any time when the approved venue is closed to the public.
The Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court was told that on the day in question, the Alpine Shire venue operated until 11pm, and the attendant was rostered on until 11:30pm. At 11:15pm after the venue had closed, the attendant gambled $3 on a gaming machine and eventually won $8,229.80 in credits. He then pressed the collect button, and cleared the win from the gaming machine, before reporting the win to venue’s general manager the next morning. The general manager reported the incident to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation and did not pay out the winnings.
The defendant entered a plea of guilty to after-hours gambling. The court decided to give no conviction, but placed the gaming attendant on a 12-month good-behaviour bond, and ordered him to pay the prosecution fess of $300, and $650 to Gateway Health, a not-for-profit organisation that provides health and welfare services.
The winnings will be forfeited from the venue to the State’s Consolidated Fund.