The government of the Australian Province of Victoria has introduced the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 to address gaming-related issues such as excessive gaming hours and the amounts gambled in the Crown Melbourne casino property. The measure will reportedly provide a comprehensive monitoring tool to verify the patron’s adherence to the times and amounts allowed for gambling in Victoria under the YourPlay pre-commitment system.

Monitoring Crown’s Operations for Compliance:

As reported, the Victorian government produces the bill in response to the findings of the Royal Commission that the operator Crown Melbourne cannot retain its license. After the procedure that granted the casino a two-year period to return to suitability, the government has decided to implement all 33 recommendations of the Royal Commission. IAG reports that the Victorian government considers the amendment bill a tool for the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission to monitor the Crown’s compliance and decide whether the regulator will withhold granting the gaming license to the operator.

Triggering the Amendment Bill 2023:

The measure includes the mandatory pre-commitment and carded play systems to ensure the operator’s adherence to responsible gambling provisions under the regulator’s surveillance. The matter has triggered the Gambling Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 which will now prescribe mandatory closure periods from 4am to 10 am for all gaming machine properties other than casinos and simultaneously establish more control over the wagering activities in the province, as reported by IAG.

Mandatory Adherence to YourPlay Tracking System:

Under the new legislation, all players using gaming machines will be requested from December 2023 to use the YourPlay pre-commitment system to have their playing time tracked. The bill also applies for table games where the tracking system will reportedly become mandatory by December 2025. According to IAG, the measure also extends to mandatory pre-commitment limits and carded play referring to all electronic gaming machines in the province, gambling limits of $100, and slower spin rates aimed to reduce the game pace. According to the officials, it should also reduce the problem gambling in Victoria.

“Our previous reforms have delivered stronger oversight of the gambling industry in Victoria with a regulator unafraid to hold venues to account – now we’re doing more important work to prevent and reduce gambling-related harm,” Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Melissa Horne reportedly said and added: “We’ve seen predatory behavior from some venues, allowing people to keep gambling for hours, at any hour. Closing gaming areas between 4am and 10am will give people an important break to reassess and walk away.”