Unlicensed bingo centres fined

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC)[1] has recently successfully prosecuted two companies for breaching the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 (the Act).

Phoenix 21 Pty Ltd, trading as Mega Bingo Clayton, and Bingo Prospect Pty Ltd, trading as Mega Bingo Gladstone Park, pleaded guilty to one charge each of operating a bingo centre without holding a bingo centre operator licence and conducting or assisting the conduct of a bingo session in a manner other than in accordance with the Act or the Gambling Regulations 2015.

The two companies were prosecuted together as they faced similar charges and both have the same director. They were placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond, fined $600 each and ordered to pay costs.

At sentencing, Magistrate Burchill commented on the seriousness of the offending as well as the apparent commercial relationship between the director of the companies and the charitable organisation. However, in handing down her sentence, Magistrate Burchill also took into consideration the early guilty plea entered by the director, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The prosecution arose after our inspectors visited one of the bingo centres and, after further conversations with the director, discovered both companies were managing, and in control of, their respective bingo centres without holding bingo centre operator licences. Our inspectors found the companies had ordered and paid for bingo equipment, hired and trained staff to run bingo sessions, and advertised the sessions to the public.

Although the companies’ director initially claimed he was not conducting bingo, but instead facilitating it for a declared charitable organisation, ultimately he accepted this was not the case and pleaded guilty to the charges.

VGCCC's Compliance Executive Director Adam Ockwell said the case underlined the need for venues to ensure they are complying with the law.

“It was clear these premises were being used as bingo centres, and so it was up to the director to ensure he was working within the rules. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and the VGCCC’s website has a lot of information about how to conduct bingo, including explaining the requirement to hold a bingo centre operator’s licence if you are running bingo sessions on behalf of a declared community or charitable organisation and how to apply.

“This is a timely reminder that we take non-compliance of gambling laws very seriously and we will take appropriate enforcement action, including prosecuting, when we detect breaches,” said Mr Ockwell.

“If operators are unsure of what the law is and what their responsibilities are, they can refer to our website or call us on 1300 599 759 and ask for advice.”