The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has warned sports clubs and online betting providers to be mindful of community expectations and social responsibilities with regards to encouraging members to sign up for gambling accounts.
In a statement issued through the VGCCC website, the regulator said that it had noted that sports betting operators have been entering into partnership deals with local sporting clubs in an effort to attract new customers. It has also come to light that some clubs have been given incentives based on how much their members spend via partnered sports betting operators.
The VGCCC has stated that betting providers must stop this kind of promotion as it could be a breach of local gambling regulations as found under Section 4.7.10 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. This states providers are prohibited from offering any credit, voucher, reward, or other benefit as an incentive to open an account or for referring another person who then opens an account.
In its statement the VGCCC said:
“The VGCCC doesn’t just hold gambling providers to the minimum letter of the law – but their social licence as well.
Sporting clubs need to be mindful of community expectations around incentivising members, and potentially junior members, to gamble. We encourage sporting clubs to refrain from entering into such sponsorship deals which may harm members and may constitute illegal behaviour by the wagering provider.”
It has been a busy period for the VGCCC. This week, the regulator fined AHL for operating pokies without the correct YourPlay pre-commitment technology installed while earlier this month BlueBet was charged for placing illegal sports betting billboards on public roads. The regulator also recently announced a complete ban on betting on all under 19 sports.
Based in London, Natasha is a former sports journalist with experience working for some of the biggest athletes & brands in the world of sports and iGaming.