Ahead of the Good Friday and ANZAC Day public holidays, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) is warning pubs and clubs that venues that allow customers to use poker machines outside permitted trading hours will be subject to fines and other penalties.
The VGCCC’s new CEO, Suzy Neilan, today announced that 14 venue operators had been fined a total of $195,000 for breaching the permitted hours on these significant days in 2024. An additional four were issued censure warnings.
“In Victoria, the availability of poker machines is restricted to a venue’s liquor licence hours, which may have additional restrictions on them on Good Friday, ANZAC Day and Christmas Day,” stated Neilan.
“With Good Friday almost upon us, I strongly advise venues to ensure they know, understand and comply with the obligations of their licence and only operate their poker machines during permitted hours.”
The VGCCC fined Melbourne Racing Club $60,000 for three venues – Steeples, The Coach and Horses, and Peninsula Club – that allowed poker machine use before noon on Good Friday last year.
Further, the VGCCC fined Hoppers Crossing Club Limited $30,000 for breaches on both Good Friday and ANZAC Day that generated poker machine turnover of $22,234.
The Sale & District Greyhound Racing Club was censured for breaching ANZAC Day trading hours.
Neilan said that when determining penalties, the VGCCC considered the length of time outside the permitted hours that customers were able to gamble, the revenue generated for the venue and the venue’s history of compliance.
New laws came into effect in August 2024 that require venues to close their poker machine areas between 4 and 10 am daily.
Venues approved by RSL Victoria can offer Two-up on ANZAC Day and during commemorative functions in the 7 days leading up to ANZAC Day.
