The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has announced that it has issued a further three charges against Rumotel Pty Ltd, the operator of the Tower Hotel, for alleged breaches of the Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct.
The latest charges come less than a month after 35 charges were brought against the operator for failing to have the mandatory pre-commitment technology YourPlay on a number of its electronic gaming machines.
In its statement, the VGCCC alleges that the hotel operator failed to have a Responsible Gambling Officer available at all times on the gaming floor of its pokie machine venues. The charges also allege that the company failed to properly maintain a Responsible Gambling Register.
In Victoria, all gambling venues must have a fully trained Responsible Gambling Officer on the floor so that they can intervene if any customers are displaying signs of distress or play for too long, both of which are often early signs of problem gambling. If the officer intervenes, then all actions must be recorded in a register.
Both charges are breaches of the Victorian Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct which is part of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003.
VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt AM said of the latest charges:
“Just as you wouldn’t operate a public swimming pool without a lifeguard, venues are required to continuously monitor their gaming floors and intervene whenever the welfare of players is at risk. The VGCCC will continue to pursue venues that deliberately fail to apply their responsible gambling code of conducts in full”
If found guilty of the latest charges, the Tower Hotel operator could face an additional AU$1,386,900 ($882,896/€836,841) in fines. This would bring the total possible fines to a maximum of AU$2,145,072 ($1,365,600/€1,294,314).
According to the latest Global Gambling Statistics, Australians have the highest gambling losses per person in the world. Each year the average gambler loses approximately AU$1870 ($1200/€1118).
Ciaran has been working within the Gambling Industry as a deep analyst since 2019. His deep knowledge and understanding of all the gambling regulations, and processes makes him a true asset, and an always valuable point of view for Gambling Industry News, allowing us to cover every topics from a brand new perspective.