ALH to Face Disciplinary Actions

By John Isaac,
Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac Editor at online-gambling.com

John Isaac is an editor with many years of experience in the gambling industry. He writes expert articles on card games like blackjack and poker. In addition, he is also well aware of the US gambling laws and the Indian and Dutch gambling markets. You can rely on verified information and insightful details.

• Twitter
• Email

More About John Isaac

Last updated: November 19, 2022

The Australian gambling industry is not helping itself at all. The industry keeps giving itself a bad name despite operators acknowledging that it is time to tidy things up. ALH (Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group) is the most recent company to come under fire.

The VGCCC (Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission) announced recently that it is arranging disciplinary action against ALH. This comes as ALH, the largest slot machine operator in the country, failed to comply with the state’s responsible gambling initiatives. To be more specific, ALH did not install YourPlay on the slots. YourPlay is the pre-commitment technology that is mandated by the state.

ALH Operated Slots Without the Mandatory Technology

According to the VGCCC’s announcement, ALH ran 220 slots without the required responsible gaming solution for five weeks. The issue was exposed when the regulator received an anonymous tip last December.

The tip led to the investigation of the company’s slots in several locations around Victoria. The VGCCC confirmed that the slots didn’t offer YourPlay. It is required of operators to include the technology, but gamblers are not required to use it or other damage migration tools.

The machines were turned off by VGCCC representatives, who then submitted their findings. The regulator will bring legal action against ALH for its significant and widespread breaches. In total, YourPlay was missing from 62 out of the company’s 77 properties.

According to the VGCCC, the failure was severe enough to call for a fine of up to US$872,318 (AU$1.35 million). The regulator also said it would charge an executive officer of the company for violation. However, it did not disclose more details.

Following the announcement, the parent company of ALH, Endeavor Group, released a statement. According to the company, the error was a simple “communication failure” inside the company. The YourPlay website explains YourPlay as a “card-based personal gaming tracker that gives you a running total of the money and time you’re spending as you play”.

Players can use this tool to track the time and money spent on slot machines and other electronic gaming machines. The tool allows users to voluntarily set limits and monitor their usage on the machine.

Australia Gaming Is Still Evolving

Fundamental changes are expected to be implemented in Australia’s gaming industry. This is a result of the continuing fines levied against casino operators for neglect of duty. While some changes are being reviewed, others have already been implemented.

For the past few years, seedy back-office deals, shady executives, and condemnation over money laundering have been the centre of the conversation. Regulators are prepared to tighten enforcement and raise penalties as a result.

This has already happened in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. In these places, it’s already clear that regulators will no longer tolerate misconduct. This was acknowledged by the VGCCC in a later announcement. According to their explanation, they are “cracking down on operators” who break the law and violate the rules. The regulator also stated that moving ahead, there will be “zero tolerance.” It might use the ALH case to set an example.