One of Australia’s largest hotel operators, The Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH), has been fined AU$550,000 (US$352,390) by Victoria’s gambling regulator for operating 220 gaming machines without the YourPlay mandatory pre-commitment technology installed.
ALH has also been ordered to pay AU$50,000 (US$32,050) in court costs after a magistrate founds the breach to be “serious and wilful”, according to the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).
The regulator had in November 2022 charged ALH with 62 counts of failing to ensure YourPlay – a statewide pre-commitment scheme that allows players to set time and loss limits – was properly installed on gaming machines across 62 of its 77 venues. It is mandatory in Victoria for YourPlay to be available on all EGMs.
The fine was reduced from a maximum of AU$1.35 million (US$865,500) after ALH entered an early guilty plea.
“This outcome demonstrates the VGCCC’s commitment to pursuing those operators who opportunistically or deliberately contravene their obligations to protect the community from gambling harm,” said VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt AM.
“Gambling providers need to pay close attention to their obligations because the consequences for getting it wrong can be significant”.
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