The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Crown Melbourne a record $120 million in total for breaches of responsible gambling requirements.
Chair of VGCCC, Fran Thorn said the Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence (RCCOL) found that Crown breached its code of conduct for the Responsible Service of Gambling over many years by consistently failing to intervene to prevent gambling harm – often allowing customers to gamble for long periods without a break, sometimes for more than 24 hours.
Ms Thorne said Crown also failed to comply with a statutory direction by the gambling regulator to take all reasonable steps to prevent patrons from using plastic picks and other devices to simulate ‘automatic play’ by holding down or continually depressing buttons on pokies.
“For a long time, Crown failed in its legal and moral obligation to ensure it provided its gambling products and services in a manner which minimised potential harm to its patrons, their families, friends and communities,” Ms Thorne said.
“These were not isolated breaches,” she said.
“They were part of a pattern of extensive, sustained and systemic failures by Crown that spanned roughly 12 years.”
In the VGCCC’s Decision and reasons for decision behind the fines, Ms Thorne said evidence at the RCCOL identified many instances of actual harm being inflicted – not just a potential to cause harm – on vulnerable people with a gambling problem.
She said the RCCOL demonstrated the significance of that harm by reference to several case studies.
“Those case studies provided real-world examples of the financial loss, suicide attempts, broken relationships, forced sex work, crime, punishment, and other hardships that were experienced by those who were permitted to often gamble at the Melbourne Casino for long periods without a break,” the Chair said.
“These are real stories of real harm,” she said.
“We cannot forget and we cannot tolerate it.”
VGCCC’s 73-page Decision and reasons for decision document can be accessed at this PS News link.
