Victoria’s gambling watchdog issues strong warning to venues ahead of festive season

Victoria’s gambling watchdog is warning venues to remain vigilant for illegal activity this festive season as Victorian punters are expected to flock in.

Victoria’s gambling watchdog has issued a stern warning to gaming operators to remain vigilant of attempts to launder money ahead of the festive season.

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has told venues to prevent any type of “exploitation including money laundering”, with visits to gaming venues particularly in regional towns expected to skyrocket during summer.

The gambling body has advised venues to beef up their staff on the gaming floor to better monitor suspicious behaviour which could include players cashing out credits with minimal play or redeeming credits using different cashiers every time.

The use of fake IDs or customers bringing in large amounts of cash to be exchanged at the cashier has also been identified as potentially suspicious.

Earlier this year more than 300 outdated electronic gambling machines were removed due to them allowing players to insert up to $10,000 which posed a significant laundering risk.

The load limit was changed to $1000 in 2008.

Earlier this year more than 300 outdated electronic gambling machines were removed due to them allowing players to insert up to $10,000.

As part of a 2021 Royal Commission into Victorian Casino Operator and Licence, it was discovered Crown Casino had allowed customers to gamble by depositing bank cheques made out to themselves rather than to the casino which created “significant money laundering risks”, with Crown fined $30m as a result.

It comes as new figures showed Victorian gamblers lost $7.4bn last year of which about $3bn came from electronic gaming machines, forcing a major statewide investigation into the improper use of machines.

The total figure for money lost was nearly $3bn more than the year before.

According to the VGCCC annual report, more than 20 venues were identified as disconnecting gaming machines from the YourPlay system — which allows players to set a time and spending limit.

VGCCC issued a total of $170m in fines in the last financial year.