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REGULATOR WARNS HIGHER FINES ON THE CARDS FOR ILLEGAL GAMBLING ADS

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Online betting operators have been issued with more than $100,000 in fines over the past week as Liquor & Gaming NSW continues to take a zero-tolerance approach to the publication of illegal gambling inducements.

Most recently, online betting provider BetDeluxe has been fined $70,000 for publishing illegal gambling inducements after being prosecuted by Liquor & Gaming NSW.

This follows the successful prosecution of PointsBet, which was fined a total of $35,000 for publishing illegal gambling inducements last week, after receiving a $20,000 fine for the same offences in 2019.

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Hospitality and Racing CEO, Anthony Keon said Liquor & Gaming NSW was continuing to pro-actively monitor online betting providers and it was completely unacceptable that seven bookmakers have been prosecuted on multiple occasions since 2018.

“Liquor & Gaming NSW will continue to actively pursue operators for illegal advertisements and advocate for the courts to issue higher penalties,” Mr Keon said.

“In 2018 the NSW Government introduced new laws to significantly increase penalties for wagering operators who are found guilty of promoting inducements to gamble, with maximum fines now set at $110,000 per offence for a corporation.

“Clearly some of these operators think gambling inducements are just the cost of doing business, but they are wrong, and they are pushing their luck. We will continue to bring these matters before the courts and seek higher penalties that reflect community expectations.”

In Downing Centre Local Court yesterday (18/5), BetDeluxe pleaded guilty to five offences that included 21 Facebook promotions for bonus bets on sports games and enhanced odds on horse racing.

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In addition to the $70,000 in fines, BetDeluxe has also been ordered to pay $8,500 in legal costs. This is the first time the company has been prosecuted for this type of offence.

PointsBet pleaded guilty to two advertisements that included an Instagram promotion to get $50 back in bonus bets, similar to those it offered in 2019 on the Apple App Store, promising $100 cash back on certain bets.

“Prohibitions on gambling inducements are an important harm minimisation measure and the increase in maximum penalties, along with our continued prosecution action, should send a clear message to wagering operators about how seriously we view these matters,” Mr Keon said.

“Reoffenders run the risk of the higher range penalties, and more scrutiny, so let me be clear that patterns of poor compliance are not worth the trouble.

“We hope this is the first and last time we see BetDeluxe in court for gambling inducements.”

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Since 2015, Liquor & Gaming NSW has successfully prosecuted 37 matters for prohibited gambling advertising, resulting in over $642,500 in fines, with nine betting providers currently before the courts.

 

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Australia

VGCCC Continues Crackdown on Underage Gambling

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Following the successful prosecution of the Peninsula Club in Dromana, Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) CEO Annette Kimmitt AM reiterated the regulator would continue to crack down on venues that allow children to enter poker machine areas.

The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria fined Victorian Amateur Turf Club, the venue owner, $7000 for 2 breaches of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 (Vic) and ordered it to pay VGCCC costs of $3500. No conviction was recorded.

Ms Kimmitt said: “This is a warning to every venue. The onus is on you to ensure that children cannot and do not enter the gambling area or participate in any gambling activity, even if they’re with an adult.

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“Equally, staff must be adequately trained and present in the gambling area to supervise while machines are in use.

“Research tells us that people who begin gambling at a young age are at greater risk of developing gambling problems as an adult.

“The rules exist to protect children from exposure to, and harm from, gambling.”

On 10 June 2023, a child entered the gambling area of the Peninsula Club twice and was able to use the poker machines on both occasions. During the second visit to the area, while with adults, the child used a poker machine for about 5 minutes, until staff intervened.

Magistrate Ayres considered the venue’s self-reporting, its lack of prior convictions, early plea and remediations implemented to reduce the chance of future offending.

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The post VGCCC Continues Crackdown on Underage Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Australia

The Star Forced into Trading Halt After Failing to Publish Financial Results

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The Star Entertainment Group has been forced into a trading halt, after failing to publish its half-year results on Friday.

According to a company release, the halt starts on Monday, unless the group is able to lodge its periodic report by end of trading. Otherwise, the suspension will remain in effect until the report is lodged.

This appears unlikely, as the group notes that it can’t publish its 1HFY25 Report ‘unless, and until, it has secured a refinancing commitment that would enable The Star to refinance all of the Group’s existing corporate debt, as well as to provide additional liquidity’.

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According to reports, the group’s Chief Executive Steve McCann is working to secure over AU$100 million ($62 million) in short-term funding, hoping to keep the company afloat until May.

McCann is reportedly trying to access the AU$60 million ($37.3 million) garnered from the sale of the group’s Sydney events center last month, which is being held in escrow.

The funds, however, will only be released after approval from the New South Wales government.

If released, this would help McCann negotiate with lenders for the additional funding he hopes can prop up the group.

The Star has been warning for months that it has run out of cash, indicating in January that at the end of 2024 it held just AU$78 million ($48.5 million) in available cash.

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Despite owing lenders some AU$430 million ($267 million), The Star has not accepted offers both from its joint venture partners in Queen’s Wharf Brisbane (Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium) and by funds associated with Oaktree Capital Management.

Blackstone has indicated that it could be interested in an acquisition of The Star upon its entry into voluntary administration.

The post The Star Forced into Trading Halt After Failing to Publish Financial Results appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Australia

VGCCC Concludes Underage Gambling Investigation

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“Nothing can make up for the harm a Melbourne family experienced as a result of the failure by multiple operators to prevent a young teen from gambling between May 2022 and October 2023,” Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) CEO Annette Kimmitt AM said.

Her comment followed the conclusion of VGCCC’s most comprehensive action to date for underage gambling – more than 2000 hours of investigations, 14 prosecutions against 10 entities, 98 charges and fines totalling half-a-million dollars.

The VGCCC investigation was prompted by concerns reported by the mother of the then 17-year-old, whose neurodiversity, in addition to his age, put him at high risk of gambling harm.

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Ms Kimmitt said: “I can only imagine how difficult it was for the mother to come to us and I commend her for doing so. I hope the outcomes and conclusion of these proceedings bring her some comfort, following the significant trauma she and her family have gone through.

“When industry is not diligent about complying with its legal and social obligations, the consequences for everyday Victorians can be serious and long lasting, which is why the VGCCC is determined to hold operators to account.”

The final case was heard before the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria on Thursday 13 February. Correct Bet Pty Ltd, the operator of the Coburg TAB outlet, pleaded guilty to two charges and was fined $3000 without conviction and ordered to pay VGCCC costs of $5500.

Magistrate Hodgson considered that Correct Bet had no prior convictions in 14 years of operation across multiple venues and had implemented additional measures, including staff training, mobile phone policy changes, and regular CCTV monitoring.

Separately, on Friday 7 February, Supreme Edinburgh Pty Ltd, trading as the Duke of Edinburgh in Brunswick, pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court to three counts of breaching the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. The operator was fined $2500 and ordered to pay VGCCC costs of $4950.

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Ms Kimmitt said: “It is a venue’s responsibility to ensure minors do not access a designated gambling area, let alone gamble, no matter how determined or convincing a child might be.

“We welcome the outcome of these court hearings, which bring to a close all prosecutions involving this family. Unfortunately, the family’s recovery from this experience is likely to take a lot longer and leave a painful scar.”

The post VGCCC Concludes Underage Gambling Investigation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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