Victoria's new gaming machine closure periods come into effect on Friday

From this Friday 30 August, new mandatory closure periods for gaming machines will be enforced across all Victorian hotels and clubs between 4am and 10am daily. This decision has been made to address findings that, under current policy, some venues are implementing staggered opening hours to allow movement between venues to continue gambling.

According to Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews, “these reforms will provide the strongest gambling harm preventions and anti-money laundering measures in Australia – we owe it to all Victorians to take this stance and help those experiencing harm turn their lives around.”

The mandatory closure periods coincide with a larger plan announced last year that includes load up limits capped at $100 and a slower mandatory EGM spin rate three seconds per game. From Friday, the mandatory closure periods will be enforced across all non-casino Victorian gaming machine areas.

“Everyone loses when it comes to gambling harm, and it’s not confined to money – people lose their relationships, their jobs and their wellbeing,” said Melissa Horne, Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation.

“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 reduce gambling-related harm.”

Ahead of this Friday’s closure, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission has recommended that venue operators opt-in to have Intralot Gaming Services automatically disable and enable their electronic gaming machines: “We strongly recommend that venues not already using the IGS automatic disabling/enabling function should consider signing up and nominating hours in accordance with the existing process,” it said. 

Daniel Andrews added, “I look forward to the implementation working group’s input and effort.”

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission received a $71 million injection in last year’s budget to help it take over most of the functions of the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. This follows on from its formation in 2022 after the previous body - the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation - was found to lack the resources to properly regulate Crown Melbourne. 

Since then in April this year, the VGCCC declared itself “clearly satisfied” that Crown Melbourne is suitable to continue operations and that it is in the public’s interest that the venue maintains its Melbourne Casino Licence. 

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The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has issued a public callout for feedback on the current electronic monitoring system operated by Intralot Gaming Services. Feedback should be written in response to this Monitoring Licence Review Discussion Paper.