Tabcorp under fire for underage gambling

Australian gambling operator Tabcorp and eight Melbourne venues have been accused of failing to prevent a 16-year-old from gambling at their venues in nearly 30 instances over the course of 2022.

Venues charged 

Charged venues include the Doncaster Hotel, Albion Charles Hotel, Rose Shamrock & Thistle Hotel, Preston’s Olympic Hotel, The Brunswick Club, Edwardes Lake Hotel, The Parkview Hotel, and the Northcote TAB Agency. Tabcorp themselves are the biggest perpetrators as the Australian giant now faces 54 charges including allowing a minor to gamble on 27 counts as well as failing to adequately supervise electronic betting terminals at all times.  These terminals are understood to be located in the sports betting sections of the venues in question. Investigations began when a public complaint was registered last May.  Another operator that has been implicated in the allegations is Endeavour Group who gave this statement concerning the matter: “Endeavour Group acknowledges the charges brought by the VGCCC against Endeavour Group’s Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group Pty Limited (ALH) who both take responsibility and compliance obligations very seriously and will continue to work constructively with the VGCCC.”

Potential penalisations

According to the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), if found guilty, the venues would be fined collectively in amounts exceeding $1 million while Tabcorp’s charges alone could warrant a $700,000 fine. On the matter, VGCCC’s CEO, Annette Kimmitt had this to say: “All gambling venues must ensure they do not accept a bet from a minor and must ask for identification from anyone they suspect could be underage.” The allegations come in lieu of a wave of regulatory response to gambling activities that cause harm such as underage gambling and gambling addiction. Australia is currently undergoing a raft of regulatory changes to curb these issues related to gambling harm.

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