The Victorian state government says it has issued a direction requiring Crown Melbourne to update its Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct, including strict limits to be imposed on how long individuals can gamble each day and each week.
According to details released early Monday morning (Australian time), Crown must now require anyone who has been gambling for three continuous hours to take a 15-minute break. Anyone who has gambled for 12 hours in any 24-hour period will be required to take a 24-hour break while no one will be permitted to gamble for more than 36 hours in a single week. Crown responsible gambling staff will have powers to exclude people from the casino floor.
The government said this direction has been developed to implement recommendation 11 of the Royal Commission, which imposes duties on the casino operator to prevent and monitor for gambling harm.
Further guidance for responsible gambling staff is also included in the direction, detailing how and when they should interact with a person demonstrating observable signs of gambling harm, such as encouraging a patron to take a break from the gaming floor and discussing harm services.
Crown has been given six months to update its code in accordance with the direction and any breaches of the code may lead to disciplinary action from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, with a maximum penalty for any breach of AU$100 million (US$67 million).
“This direction reflects my expectations that Crown must aim to be a global leader in the reduction of gambling harm – or lose their license,” said Victoria’s Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Melissa Horne.
“Crown is on track to implement mandatory pre-commitment in all electronic gaming machines by the end of this year. When combined with the strengthened code of conduct, the harm reduction protections will be world leading for a casino of this size.”
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