The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has charged Tabcorp along with eight venues for allegedly allowing a minor to gamble in breach of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003.
In total Tabcorp is facing 54 charges, including 27 counts of allowing a minor to gamble and failing to reasonably supervise its electronic betting terminals, while the venue operators and a TAB agency face allegations they allowed a minor to gamble on 27 occasions between 8 September and 1 November 2022.
The venues are the Olympic Hotel, the Brunswick Club, the Edwardes Lake Hotel, the Parkview Hotel, the Albion Charles Hotel, the Doncaster Hotel, the Rose Shamrock & Thistle Hotel and the Northcote TAB Agency.
The venue operators have been charged with allowing a minor to gamble, allowing a minor within a gaming machine area and failure to ensure gambling vending machines were reasonably supervised at all times.
The TAB agency has been charged with allowing a minor to gamble and failing to ensure reasonable supervision of its electronic betting terminals.
VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt AM said: “One of the most serious harms is allowing minors to gamble. All gambling venues must ensure they do not accept a bet from a minor and must ask for identification from anyone they suspect could be underage.”
If found guilty, the operators face a maximum collective fine of more than $1million, while Tabcorp could face a maximum fine of $698,997.60.
The VGCCC said that it launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from a member of the public.