Community Clubs Victoria has questioned why the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission is urging the public to dob in dodgy gaming operators rather than focussing on its role as a regulator.
“It’s a little bit confusing. Surely, they are supposed to be focusing on their core role of regulation of the sector,” said CCV CEO Andrew Lloyd in response to the launch of the tip-off site launched last week by the Commission.
“It’s all very well to have a policy but what’s that actually doing?” he asked.
Lloyd said CCV and its club and RSL members were committed to a sustainable industry and it was happy to work with all stakeholders on the best way to protect problem gamblers. But he added that what is needed is for the government to provide gaming education in primary schools.
“We’ve heard reports of school children using grandpa’s ID and getting online gambling accounts,” he said. “That can’t happen in-venue because we are supervising the room.”
The VGCCC issued a statement issued last week saying the tip-off scheme is believed to be a world-first among gambling regulators.
The VGCCC began operating in July 2022, after Crown was issued with record fines, with a new regulatory mandate to minimise gambling harm and problem gambling.
VGCCC chair Fran Thorn, appointed after the Crown inquiry, said the position represented a “line in the sand”.
“We are committed to holding gambling operators to account against their social licence, not just their regulatory obligations,” she said.
Breaches could include venues not offering or promoting the YourPlay system which enables gamblers to set time and spending limits; minors on the gaming floor; staff failing to intervene when someone shows signs of gaming distress; illegal gambling – including on social media; illegal advertising; and even raffles.