The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) announced that it has slapped Crown Resorts with an AUD 2 million ($1.34 million) fine for self-exclusion violations. According to the authority, the Australian operator had allowed hundreds of self-excluded players to place bets at its local casino.

The Breach Was Due to System & Control Failures  

The VGCCC understood that people who had excluded themselves from gambling had been able to place bets at Crown’s casinos for an 8-month period. The regulator clarified that between October 2023 and May 2024, a total of 242 players were able to place wagers despite being excluded.

The violations in question were identified thanks to VGCCC’s ongoing monitoring of Crown Resorts’ operations in the state. The commission also learned that the breaches were caused by “system and control failures rather than deliberate or egregious disregard by Crown of its regulatory obligations.”

As a result, the VGCCC ordered Crown to hire the services of an independent expert who will assess the effectiveness of the self-exclusion program and make recommendations for improvement, if necessary. The gambling company will be required to implement any recommendations made by the expert, a VGCCC spokesperson said.

Players Must Be Able to Trust Operators

Fran Thorn, chair of the VGCCC, commented on the matter. He said that the self-exclusion failures constitute an offense under Victoria’s Casino Control Act 1991. Local law prohibits casinos from allowing anyone who has self-excluded to enter, let alone gamble, at the casino.

Thorn added that the violation also contravenes Crown Melbourne’s obligation to protect vulnerable players from gambling harm. He clarified that self-excluded players must be “able to trust” that gambling operators will take responsible steps to enforce their decision to moderate their gambling habits.

Thorn, however, acknowledged that some of the players in question went to great lengths to circumvent their self-exclusion.

By allowing people who have self-excluded to enter the casino and gamble, Crown has put them at risk of experiencing further gambling harm. However, it is also clear that a number of these self-excluded patrons are going to considerable lengths to avoid detection and break their exclusion requirements.

Fran Thorn, chair, VGCCC

Earlier this year, Crown Melbourne was directed to continue its reform and remediation plan following the findings of the Finkelstein Royal Commission. The commission acknowledged the gambling operator’s efforts, although there is still more work to be done.