Enforcement actions

Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court

8 August 2025

Without conviction

Aggregate fine of $6,000

VGCCC costs of $3,360

On 4 occasions between 31 January and 16 February 2024, 6 minors all aged under 8 years, briefly entered the gaming machine area of the venue trading as the Flying Horse Bar and Brewery in Warrnambool for brief periods (less than a minute).

On 3 of the 4 occasions the minors were unaccompanied, the gaming area was unmanned and it was unsupervised.

In sentencing the Magistrate found this was a serious example of offending but noted the relatively young age of the minors, the short periods of time the minors were in the gaming machine area, the overall operating loss over the last 3 years of the accused, the very low amount of revenue from the gaming machines as well as the significant and timely remedial measures implemented by the accused to prevent further offending.

No prior convictions.

But for the plea of guilty, the sentence would have been a fine of $30,000 – s 6AAA Sentencing Act 1991.

Melbourne Magistrates' Court

23/06/2025

Without Conviction

Aggregate fine of $38,000

VGCCC Costs of $40,000

Minor entered gaming machine area 3 x 10.7.6 (1)

Allowing a minor to gamble 3 x 10.7.3 (1)

ALH pleaded guilty to 6 charges, having self-reported the breaches to the VGCCC. Charges involving 3 minors at 3 venues on 4 dates in 2024.

Incident 1 – Cramers Hotel:
Charge 1: Offences in respect of a minor entering a gaming machine area [Note: the offending spanned over two days and another charge was rolled up into this Charge 1]
Charge 2: Offences in respect of allowing a minor to gamble

Incident 2 – Excelsior Hotel:
Charge 3: Offences in respect of a minor entering a gaming machine area
Charge 4: Offences in respect of allowing a minor to gamble

Incident 3 – Mountain View Hotel:
Charge 5: Offences in respect of a minor entering a gaming machine area
Charge 6: Offences in respect of allowing a minor to gamble.

VGCCC v Victoria Amateur Turf Club

(Peninsula Club)

Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court

17/02/2025

Without Conviction

Aggregate fine of $7,000

Costs awarded to the VGCCC in amount of $3,500

Minor entered gaming machine area

1 x 10.7.6 (1)

Allowing a minor to gamble

1 x 10.7.3 (1)

On 10 June 2023, a minor entered the gaming machine area of the approved premises known as the Peninsula Club on two occasions in breach of section 10.7.6(1) of the Act

and the Accused allowed that minor to gamble on the two occasions in breach of section 10.7.3(1) of the Act.

No prior convictions Extensive remediation of the issues including a licence condition to get an independent risk assessment on all 14 venues.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

13/02/2025

Without Conviction

Aggregate fine of $3,000

Costs awarded to VGCCC in amount of $ 5,500

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 1

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.6.10) x 1

On a single occasion on 20 October 2023, a minor aged 17 years and 9 months entered the Coburg TAB and placed a bet using an EBT. The total value of bet placed was $153.

Early plea of guilty, and no prior convictions.

VGCCC v Supreme Edinburgh Pty Ltd (Duke of Edinburgh)

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

07/02/2025

Without Conviction

Aggregate fine of $2,500

Costs awarded to VGCCC in amount of $ 4,950

Minor entered gaming machine area (s 10.7.6(1)) x 1

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 1

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.6.10) x 1

On a single occasion on 14 October 2023, a minor aged 17 years and 9 months entered the Duke of Edinburgh and placed a bet using an EBT. The minor also entered the gaming machine area. The total value of bet placed was $100.

Early plea of guilty, and no prior convictions.

VGCCC v Australian Leisure and Hotel Group (ALH)

(Albion Charles Hotel, Cramers Hotel, Doncaster Hotel, Excelsior Hotel, Rose Shamrock & Thistle Hotel)

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

04/10/2024

Without Conviction

Aggregate fine of $175,000 for male minor

$2,500 for female minor

Costs awarded to VGCCC in amount of $45,000.

6AAA:

$275,000 for male minor, $3,500 for female minor

Charges 24 in total

10.7.3 x 15 (allowing a minor to gamble)

10.7.10 x 5 (failure to supervise vending machine)

10.7.6 (1) x 3 (minor enters a gaming machine area)

10.7.6 (1) x 1 (Minor enters gaming machine area at Westside Taverner Hotel.

Charges relate to the attendance of a male minor at various venues operated by ALH, and a female minor on one occasion.

Early plea of guilty, meaningful steps to improve compliance, no prior convictions.

VGCCC v

Rumotel Pty Ltd

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

25/09/2024

Without Conviction

Fined $25,000.

Ordered to pay the VGCCC’s costs in the amount of $15,000.

Charges 1-33: s3.8A12(1)(a)- Your Play Charges

Charge 34:

s3.8A12(1)(b)- Your Play kiosk no functioning

Charge 35:

s9A.1.18(3)- Failure of employee to complete training as required by a gaming industry employee.

Charges 36 and 37:

s3.4.6- Failure to comply with venue operator licence that a Responsible gambling officer be available in the gaming machine area.

Between 9 September and 2 December 2022 failing to ensure, YourPlay equipment installed on the 33 separate EGMs and the YourPlay kiosk, was functioning in the manner it was designed and programmed to function.

Failing to ensure that a staff member, engaged to perform the duties of a gaming industry employee, completed Module 2 training within 6 months of commencing his duties as required by s 9A.1.18(3) of the GR Act.

On 29 September and 6 October 2022 by failing to comply with a Venue Operator Licence condition that a RGO be available in the authorised gaming machine area at the Tower Hotel.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

13/06/2024

Without Conviction fined $274,000. Ordered to pay the VGCCC’s costs in the amount of $96,417.17.

6AAA: $400,000

Allowing a minor to gamble x 30 (10.7.3(1))

Failing to ensure a vending machine is supervised x 13 (10.7.10)

Tabcorp charged with 30 offences of allowing a minor to gamble and 13 charges of failure to reasonably supervise EBT over 3 separate offending periods.

Tranche 1- 6 May to 9 May 2022

Tranche 2- 8 September to 1 November 2022

Tranche 3- 6 September to 20 October 2023.

The minor placed 36 bets over this offending period totaling $6,015.

Early plea of guilty, cooperation with authorities, genuine remorse, compensation paid to victim, significant compliance measures taken.

Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court

08/05/2024

Without conviction adjourned undertaking.

The conditions of that undertaking are that Lindec:

1. must be of good behaviour for a period of one year, or else be resentenced on these matters; and
2. must pay $6,000 to the court fund (i.e. in lieu of a fine) by 30 June 2024, with the intention that money be allocated to a gambling support program.

Order to pay VGCCC costs of $3,900.

Allowing a minor to gamble x 2 (10.7.3(1)

Failing to ensure a vending machine is supervised x 2 (10.7.10)

$51,777.60

On 21 September, and 11 October 2022 a minor of the age of 16, entered the Edwardes Lake Hotel and gambled on both occasions, with total bet value of $215.

Early plea of guilty, remorse, no prior convictions, evidence good corporate citizen, had spent considerable amount of money on AI-powered CCTV age identification technology. This expenditure was a significant mitigating feature.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

19/04/2024

Without conviction, fined $7,000. Ordered to pay costs of $2,960. 6AAA: $10,000.

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 2

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.6.10) x 2

On two occasions in September 2022, a minor aged 16 entered the operator’s TAB and placed a bet using an EBT. The total value of bets placed was $310.

The accused had no priors, the staff supervising the machines at the time were undergoing personal hardship, and steps had been taken towards further risk mitigation.

Sunshine Magistrates’ Court

08/04/2024

Without conviction, fined $50,000. Ordered to pay costs of $7,620. 6AAA: $70,000 with conviction

The accused displayed gambling advertising over a 14-day period in 2022 on or above public roads.

The accused had no priors, and the fault was inadvertent, with the advertising booked by an agency.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

20/02/2024

Without conviction, fined $7,500. Ordered to pay costs of $1,220. 6AAA: $10,000 with conviction.

Minor entered gaming machine area (s 10.7.6(1)) x 1

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 3

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.6.10) x 1

On three occasions on 19 and 20 October 2022, a minor aged 16 entered the Brunswick Club and placed a bet using an EBT. On one occasion, he also entered the gaming machine area. The total value of bets placed was $265.

The accused had no priors, is a not-for-profit and produced evidence of remorse and steps to mitigate risk of future breaches.

VGCCC v Cathay International (Parkview Hotel)

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

20/02/2024

Without conviction, fined $4,000 aggregate. Ordered to pay costs of $1,220. 6AAA: $6,500.

Minor entered gaming machine area (s 10.7.6(1)) x 1

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 1

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.6.10) x 1

On 17 October 2022, a minor aged 16 entered the gaming machine area of the Parkview Hotel and placed a bet on an EBT to the value of $15.

The accused had no priors and is struggling commercially. Evidence of remorse. Accused took steps to mitigate risk of future breaches.

VGCCC v Kevak Pty Ltd (Olympic Hotel)

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

19/02/2024

Without conviction, fined $5,000 aggregate. Ordered to pay costs of $3,820.

Minor entered gaming machine area (s 10.7.6(1)) x 2

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 3

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.6.10) x 1

On 30 September, 1 October, and 7 October 2022, a minor aged 16 entered the Olympic Hotel. On two occasions, he entered the gaming machine area. On each occasion, he placed a bet using an electronic betting terminal. The total value of the bets was $690. The minor’s mother had attended the venue five months earlier warning it that the minor had been gambling at nearby venues, and provided a photograph of him.

The accused had no priors despite operating the venue since 1995. It had made a significant investment in facial recognition as a risk-control measure after the incident, which the magistrate said called for a significant discount in penalty. Her Honour said she was considering a $15,000 fine save for the expense of rolling out facial recognition.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

13/12/2023

Without conviction,fined $4,000 aggregate. Ordered to pay costs of $4,160. 6AAA:

Minor entered gaming machine area (s 10.7.6(1)) x 1

Allow a minorto gamble

(s 10.7.3(1)) x 1

On 17 September 2022, a minor aged 16 entered the Altona RSL, signed-in at the reception terminal (where a staff member was present) and entered the gaming floor. He played on an electronic gaming machine for approximately 10 minutes. No staff member approached the minor or asked him for identification.

Magistrate held that it was significant mitigation that Altona RSL had operated machines since 1990s with no prior convictions. Also significant that Altona RSL is directed to charitable purposes.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

7/12/2023

Without conviction, fined $15,000 aggregate. Ordered to pay costs of $10,300. 6AAA: $28,326.64 with conviction.

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 4

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.6.10) x 1

VGCCC v

Australian Leisure & Hospitality Group Pty Ltd

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court

24/08/2023

Without conviction, fined $550,000

aggregate. Ordered to pay costs to be agreed.
6AAA: $1m.

Failing to ensure proper installation of player account equipment

(s 3.8A.10(1)) x 62

In November and December 2021, accused failed to ensure interactive display screens (used for pre- commitment system ‘YourPlay’) were installed on 220 EGMs in 62 venues. Contravention

found to be wilful and knowing.

Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court

29/10/2020

Court ordered the accused to pay $500 to the court fund and released the accused on a good behaviour bond for 12 months. The Magistrate also ordered the accused to pay costs of $200.

1. 8.5.1 - Unlicensed management or control of a bingo centre

2. 2.2.1-Conducting unauthorised gambling –Bingo sessions, raffles and lucky envelopes

The maximum penalty for charge 1 is 100 penalty units.

The maximum penalty for charge 2 against a corporate accused is 1000 penalty units

Between June 2019 and January 2020, Bingo Bonanza regularly conducted sessions of bingo on a commercial basis at the Premises. During this period the Bingo Centre did not have a operators licence.

Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court

10/12/2020

Without conviction, fined $15,000 aggregate. Ordered to pay costs of $9,251.

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 8

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.6.10) x 1

Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court

10/12/2020

Without conviction, fined $5,000 aggregate. Ordered to pay costs of $4,000.

Allow a minor to gamble (s 10.7.3(1)) x 3

Failure to supervise vending machine (s 10.7.10) x 1

Allow minor on licensed premises x 1 (s 120(1) of the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998)

Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court

10/12/2020

Without conviction, fined $18,000 aggregate. Ordered to pay costs of $17,469.