The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has laid charges against Rumotel Pty, the operator of Tower Hotel, for multiple breaches of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003.
A total of 35 charges have been brought against Tower Hotel, 34 of which are related to YourPlay, the pre-commitment, responsible gaming scheme.
The final, singular charge is due to Tower Hotel staff not completing compulsory training.
The VGCCC has restricted Tower Hotel from offering gaming machines to the public until these violations have been corrected.
Annette Kimmitt AM, VGCCC CEO, said: “Any venue operator that fails to provide players with the ability to set time and spend limits through the YourPlay system is in breach of a key legal obligation aimed at protecting the community from gambling harm.
“We are actively monitoring venue compliance with the requirement to have YourPlay available on all electronic gaming machines and will pursue those that opportunistically or deliberately contravene their obligations.”
The YourPlay scheme was launched in 2015 by Intralot Gaming Services as part of the Gaming Regulations 2014 framework.
The pre-commitment scheme allows players to set a specific time or money limit before they begin the gambling session.
As part of responsible gaming measures, YourPlay is completely free for players to use and is mandatory for operators to make it available at all venues in Victoria.
The maximum fine Tower Hotel could face for the 35 charges is AU$758,172 (US$488,831).
Earlier this summer, the VGCCC demanded that operators cease problematic promotions following club sponsorships.
