VGCCC takes legal action on Australia’s largest pokie operator

November 19, 2022 3:49 pm.by Tebearau Egbe

The Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH), a pokie operator, has been sanctioned by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) for violating regulatory requirements.

According to the reports that were made on Friday, November 18, ALH will be charged with 62 infractions for allegedly operating 220 pokie machines without activating the required pre-commitment technology, YourPlay, that was imposed on operators to foster safe gambling.

The laws governing gambling in Victoria stipulate that all electronic gaming machines must be equipped with the pre-commitment technology, YourPlay. Although this is voluntary for players, it is required that operators do well to install the system in all of their gaming machines. YourPlay gives users the option to limit their playing time as well as their money limit.

AGL has in their coffers 77 pubs and clubs riddled all over Victoria where these gambling rules were being infringed upon for about 5 weeks.

These locations were discovered through an anonymous source who made the report in December 2021, which led to a thorough investigation by the VGCCC.

According to the VGCCC, the penalty may lead to a fine of up to AU$1.35 million (US$872,318.) They further mentioned that a breach of the Gambling Regulation Act of 2003 will result in charges being brought against an executive official working for the firm.

The agency also noted that it was not willing to be lenient with the company because it has become very common for operators in the state to disregard the gambling regulations that bind them. The agency said it is aimed at using this case scenario as an example for other operators.

In response to all the allegations being placed on ALH, the parent company, Endeavors Group, issued a statement insinuating that the breach came as a result of a communication mishap in the company.

The Chief Executive Officer at VGCCC, Annette Kimmitt, said ALH will be subjected to the full course of the law as the rate of violation is high and was constituted in almost 100 percent of its venues across the state.

“We have decided to prosecute ALH as the alleged breaches constituted serious and significant non-compliance across 80 per cent of all ALH’s Victorian venues,” said Kimmitt.

“Anyone who holds a gambling licence in Victoria is on notice that they must, at a minimum, comply with their legal obligations to protect patrons from gambling harm. Having YourPlay installed and available on electronic gaming machines is a mandatory requirement to support safer gambling.”

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