The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VGCCC) has found that eight venues operated by ALH in Victoria, Australia, were in violation of electronic gaming machine (EGM) operating hours and mandatory shutdown periods.
This discovery came after activities were detected outside of permitted hours on 15 EGMs across these venues between February 15, 2023, and May 25, 2023.
Gaming venues in the region are required to close for four hours after every 20 hours of gaming, and they must adhere to their designated operating hours for EGMs.
All of the identified venues, except Boundary Taverner, were found to have operated outside of their trading hours and neglected mandatory shutdown periods during the specified timeframe.
Consequently, a substantial fine of $420,000 was imposed on these establishments. Boundary Taverner received a separate fine of $60,000 for similar violations, but this occurred only on May 25, 2023.
VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt emphasized the importance of responsible gambling services, including providing patrons with breaks and preventing extended, continuous periods of play.
The VGCCC vowed to maintain vigilance in monitoring gaming machine operations to ensure compliance with these expectations.
It’s worth noting that ALH, the operator of these venues, is the largest EGM operator in Victoria, boasting 4,690 machines across 76 establishments.
This is the second significant fine imposed on the group in 2023, following a $550,000 penalty in August for breaching state gambling control rules.
The VGCCC’s investigation into ALH was prompted by an anonymous tip-off in late 2021.
During the inspection, the regulator identified 220 machines operating without YourPlay, the mandatory pre-commitment technology required in Victoria.
YourPlay enables players to set limits on their time or money spent and monitor their gaming activity. Its installation is mandatory for all gaming machine licensees in Victoria.
In a separate case, ALH was charged with 62 counts of failing to ensure proper YourPlay installation on machines across 62 of its 77 venues.
The magistrate’s court later deemed these breaches serious and wilful, resulting in a $550,000 fine for ALH and an additional $50,000 in VGCCC legal costs.
ALH is not the only major operator facing VGCCC scrutiny in 2023. In September, Tabcorp received a record $1.0 million fine over its conduct during a significant system outage in 2020.
Furthermore, Tabcorp and eight venues faced charges related to underage gambling, and fines were issued for similar violations at the Preston Hotel.
Rumotel, operator of the Tower Hotel, has also been warned by the VGCCC of a potential fine of up to $1.4 million for allegedly breaching responsible gambling rules, following a set of initial charges filed in September.