One of Australia’s leading pub operators, Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH), has been fined AU$38,000 after self-reporting six instances of allowing minors to be exposed to gambling at some of its Victorian venues.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) said the fine was without conviction in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria for offences involving three minors at three venues across 4 dates in 2024.
However, VGCCC CEO Suzy Neilan also noted that the fact ALH self-reported the breaches was a positive step towards improving industry practices.
“Being accountable for wrongdoing demonstrates integrity, which has been a focus of the VGCCC’s ongoing work with gambling operators,” she said. “But it’s not enough to own up after the fact. Venues must be proactive about ensuring that minors do not access poker machine areas by ensuring they have in place appropriate systems, processes and staff.
“Operators should undertake a risk assessment and put in place controls to prevent minors from entering gambling areas. Some examples of controls could include displaying clear signage that the poker machine room is for adults only and checking the identification of anyone who appears under 25 years of age.”
The incidents involved included a 17-year-old entering the poker machine area of Cramers Hotel in Preston – a suburb of Melbourne – multiple times without having to show ID, despite several interactions with staff and visits to the poker machine area on 24 January 2024.
Separately, a child in the company of two adults entered the poker machine area of the Excelsior Hotel in Thomastown on 24 April 2024. The child, who was seated with one of the adults, pressed buttons on the poker machine before they were both escorted from the area.
And on 27 September 2024, a 14-year-old boy entered the poker machine room of the Mountain View Hotel in Glen Waverley and gambled on a poker machine before staff intervened.
The VGCCC said ALH has also been ordered to pay AU$40,000 in legal costs.
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