Melbourne – Crown Casino has implemented a set of stringent measures to ensure responsible gambling, marking a significant shift in the casino’s approach to customer safety. This initiative, unprecedented in Australia, aims to address gambling-related harm and illegal activities such as money laundering.
The Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Melissa Horne, has been a driving force behind these reforms. She stated, “We are introducing groundbreaking reforms to safeguard individuals prone to gambling harm and empower casino patrons in managing their gambling habits.”
Key Restrictions and Measures
- Mandatory Pre-Commitment System: Patrons using gaming machines at Crown Casino must now utilize the YourPlay system to set predetermined time and money loss limits.
- Enforced Time-Outs: If a patron reaches their set limit on time or money, they are prohibited from using gaming machines for either 24 hours or seven days, based on their initial choice.
- Break Intervals: The casino is enforcing breaks of 15 minutes for individuals gambling continuously for three hours. Furthermore, a mandatory day’s break is required for those gambling for 12 hours within any 24-hour period.
- Weekly Gambling Limit: There is a cap of 36 hours on the total gambling time permitted per patron in a week.
- Identity Verification: For all new sign-ups for a gambling card, identity checks are mandatory. This step is crucial in preventing money laundering activities.
- YourPlay Account Linkage: The gambling card is linked to the YourPlay account, providing real-time updates and detailed activity statements at gaming machines.
- Cap on Cash Winnings: To combat money laundering, cash winnings are now capped at $1,000. Winnings exceeding this amount will be paid either through electronic transfer or a cheque, with identification required.
- Extension to Table Games: By December 2025, these carded play regulations will also apply to all table games at the casino.
These comprehensive changes align with the Victorian government’s broader objectives to mitigate the harm caused by electronic gaming machines across all venues. They also fulfil the recommendations from the Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence.
Minister Horne emphasized the broader impact of these reforms, “With these measures, we are clamping down on criminal activities like money laundering. We’re committed to identifying, stopping, and prosecuting these illegal actions.”
The reforms at Crown Casino represent a decisive move towards creating a safer and more regulated gambling environment, reflecting the government’s commitment to public welfare and crime prevention in the gambling sector.
