The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has announced that it will be proceeding with further disciplinary action against Crown Melbourne in line with the commission’s Responsible Services of Gambling principles.
As part of an investigation into whether Crown is suitable to hold a casino licence, an official inquiry titled Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence found that Crown had committed numerous infringements of the Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct. These breaches included a failure to properly supervise or address “hundreds or possibly thousands of customers who exhibited signs of a problem or risky gambling.”
The VGCCC has requested information on Crown’s Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct and from there will determine what the appropriate disciplinary action should be.
Options being considered by the VGCCC are a fine of up to AUS$100m (US$68.5m), changes to the operator's licence, or a censuring of Crown and “directing it to take rectification steps.”
VGCCC Chair Fran Thorn said: “Crown’s responsible gambling obligations are a condition of the casino licence, designed to protect vulnerable patrons and to prevent gambling-related harm to patrons, their families and the community. There is no more important obligation.”
“We heard many distressing stories at the Royal Commission of vulnerable patrons being encouraged to gamble beyond their means. The VGCCC will therefore be unflinching in its resolve to deal with the issues uncovered at the Royal Commission regarding Crown’s approach to responsible gambling, and to ensure the casino operator acts in line with its legal obligations and the community’s expectations.”
