Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) will be faced with 62 charges by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) for supposedly using gaming machines that didn’t have obligatory pre-commitment tech facilitated. The 62 charges carry a maximum fine of up to 1,35 million dollars.
Mandatory Victorian technology:
The technology, called YourPlay, provides gamblers with the possibility to set their own time and spending limits to stay in control of their play.
In Victoria, each one of the electronic gaming machines needs to have an interactive YourPlay display that provides gamblers with the option to set limits on their time and money and to supervise their gaming machine play across the sections.
Even though using YourPlay is optional for gamblers, it is obligatory for operators to have it enabled and functional on each one of their gaming machines.
The investigation:
During December 2021, VGCCC detectives received an anonymous tip to inspect gambling operators in Hallam, Narre Warren, Sandringham, Mulgrave, Laverton and Cheltenham to confirm meaningful, widespread breaches.
Following the inspections, the Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group allegedly handed over each one of the 220 illegal gaming machines from 62 of its 77 facilities.
The company supposedly have used 220 illegal gaming machines for at least 5 weeks without YourPlay tech facilitated.
Now, under the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, Australia’s biggest poker machine operator and the company’s Chief Executive Officer will be held responsible for failing to provide players with the obligatory player equipment.
Annete Kimmit AM, Chief Executive Officer at Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commision (VGCCC), said: “We have decided to prosecute the Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group as the alleged breaches constitued serious and significant non-compliance across 80 per cent of all ALH’s Victorian venues.
“Anyone who holds a gambling license 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.”
About the operator:
Headquartered in South Yarra, Victoria, Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) owns over 350 pubs across Australia. They are located in capital cities and urban and regional centres.
The company is a leading national gambling operator of electronic gaming machines, wagering, sports betting outlets, and KENO.
Beside gambling, the company’s main operations are: pub (bar, food, accommodation) and property development such as purchasing, remodeling and renovating properties to offer new, upgraded, extraordinary places for tourists.
