The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has censured Crown Melbourne for breaching its gambling harm minimisation obligations on multiple occasions.
The VGCCC’s Chair Chris O’Neill APM said that Crown had allowed customers to use poker machines in contravention of mandatory pre-commitment requirements.
“Poker machines are a high-risk, high-harm product, which is why we place so much emphasis on holding industry to account when they fail to honour their legal and social licenses to protect customers from gambling harm,” O’Neill said.
“Pre-commitment programs empower people to manage their gambling by making decisions, before they start gambling, about the amount of time and money they will spend.
“Research has shown that well-designed pre-commitment systems with binding limits can be effective in preventing harm from poker machine use. It is imperative, therefore, from both a legal and ethical perspective, that the casino is vigilant about meeting its pre-commitment obligations.”
Crown customers were able to continue using poker machins despite reaching their nominated time or spending limit between December 2023 and July 2024. The government’s YourPlay pre-commitment program is installed on all poker machines in Victoria, and mandatory carded play and pre-commitment currently applies to poker machines at the casino.
In addition 10 customers were able to gamble on casino poker machines between 23 December 2023 and 4 August 2024 using a card linked to a YourPlay account that was not in their legal name.
O’Neill said: “This reprimand is now on Crown’s record, and we will not hesitate to take more serious disciplinary action in the future, should similar or further breaches occur.”
He added that in deciding to formally censure Crown, the Commission considered the casino’s cooperation with the investigation and evidence that demonstrated the breaches were isolated and remedial efforts had been undertaken, including additional monitoring and staff training.