Victoria regulator issues fresh warning over poker machine trading hours
Last August, new laws came into effect in Victoria as to when consumers can gamble on a poker machine. Venues are now required to close areas with these machines between 4am and 10am daily.
However, the VGCCC said some venues have continued to fall foul of the new regulations on opening hours. As such, it has today (9 April) reached out to the industry to warn of the dangers of not complying with regulations.
This comes ahead of the Good Friday and ANZAC Day public holidays, which this year fall on 18 April and 25 April, respectively. Additional restrictions may apply to venues’ liquor licence hours on public holidays.
Victoria venues fined AU$195,000 in 2024
The VGCCC also revealed several operators breached opening hours laws for these days last year, prior to when the rule change came into effect last summer. Some 14 venues were fined a total of AU$195,000 (£90,910/€105,532/US$116,686), while censure warnings were issued to an additional four locations.
Melbourne Racing Club was the hardest hit last year with fines totalling $60,000. These were issued to three venues that allowed poker machine play outside permitted hours on Good Friday. Steeples, The Coach and Horses and Peninsula Club all breached regulations.
Meanwhile, Hoppers Crossing Club was fined $30,000 for breaches on both Good Friday and ANZAC Day. Operating outside its permitted hours generated poker machine turnover of $22,234 for the venue.
Goulburn Valley Hotel was issued a fine of $20,000, while $15,000 penalties were handed to the Peninsula Hotel Motel and Court House Hotel. In addition, letters of censure were sent to the Sale & District Greyhound Racing Club, Wonthaggi Golf Club, Altona RSL and the Portland Memorial Bowling Club.
New VGCCC chief urges caution
Suzy Neilan, who recently took over as CEO of the VGCCC, urged venues to check the rules ahead of time. She said this will make clear as to when they can allow poker machine areas to open.
“In Victoria, the availability of poker machines is restricted to a venue’s liquor licence hours,” she said. “This may have additional restrictions on them on Good Friday, ANZAC Day and Christmas Day.
“With Good Friday almost upon us, I strongly advise venues to ensure they know, understand and comply with the obligations of their licence and only operate their poker machines during permitted hours.”
For those Victoria venues that do breach regulations, Neilan said the financial penalties may differ. When issuing fines, the VGCCC considers the length of time outside permitted hours customers were able to gamble, revenue generated and the venue’s history of compliance.
The Victoria regulator is certainly not shy about fining venues that do not comply with rules in the state. In March, the Peninsula Club in Dromana was fined $7,000 for underage gambling. The club allowed a child to enter its gambling area on two occasions on 10 June 2023.
In February, fines were also issued to two other Victoria venues, concluding a long-term separate investigation into how an underage, neurodivergent boy was able to gamble at several locations.