The biggest poker machine operator in Australia – Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) – faces allegations that the company filed to install special pre-commitment technology that it was supposed to as part of gambling harm prevention. A total of 62 charges have been issued by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).
The gambling regulator of the state of Victoria claims that the company has allegedly operated 220 poker machines, also known as pokies, for up to five weeks without making sure they are equipped with the required YourPlay technology – a card-based tool that provides players with the chance to set limits on the time and money they spent using the machines. For this violation, Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group could suffer a monetary penalty of around AU$1.35 million.
For the time being, the YourPlay functionality is optional for local players. However, venues in the state of Victoria are required to have it installed and ready to use on all gaming machines that are available to players on their premises.
After the state’s gambling regulatory body received a piece of confidential information, inspectors from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission immediately visited a number of venues in state suburbs, including Cheltenham, Sandringham, Laverton, Hallam, Mulgrave, and Narre Waren to make sure the alleged breaches are real.
As a result of the regulatory action, the Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group turned off all 220 machines that did not comply with the rules across 62 of its 77 venues.
Mandatory Gambling Harm Prevention Technology Lacking in 80% of AHL’s Victoria-Based Venues
The CEO of the Victorian gambling regulator, Annette Kimmitt, shared that the regulator body had decided to prosecute the largest poker machine operator in Australia for alleged breaches that had been taking place in about 80% of the companies’ venues across the state. These breaches are categorised as serious and significant non-compliance. Ms Kimmitt reminded that everyone who held a Victorian gambling licence is required to have YourPlay installed and available on electronic gaming machines (EGMs) and this was a mandatory requirement for local operators to support safer gambling.
In the court action of the state’s gambling watchdog, both the company and its chief executive officer will be charged with failing to remain in line with the requirements to ensure that the required player equipment was installed under the provisions of the Gambling Regulation Act. The lawsuit is expected to come before the Melbourne Magistrates Court sometime in January 2023.
The news for the legal action and the potential fine that could be faced by the Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group comes about a fortnight after the Victorian gambling and casino regulator imposed an AU$120-million fine on Crown Melbourne for breaching its obligations under the Responsible Service of Gambling provisions. The Australian gambling giant was found to have consistently allowed customers to gamble for long periods of time without reminding them to take a break and failed to prevent gambling harm.
The VGCCC also determined that the Melbourne casino of Crown Resorts did not comply with a statutory direction issued by the regulatory body urging it to take all possible moves to prevent patrons from using various devices, including plastic picks, to jam gaming machines’ buttons and simulate automatic play.
- Author
Olivia Cole
