The third-largest operator of poker machines on the territory of Australia – the Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH), property by Woolworths, has faced an AU$172,000 fine following some findings that the company had been offering free alcohol to gamblers without permission. Apart from that, two of the Group’s hotels situated on the Northern Rivers were suspended from operating their poker machines for a fortnight.
The Liquor and Gaming NSW inspected over 50 ALH venues in New South Wales (NSW) and found that two of the ALH venues – the South Tweed Tavern and Westower Tavern in Ballina – violated the state’s gambling laws. Under the existing gambling legislation in the state, poker machine operators are not legally allowed to provide discounted or free alcoholic drinks to their customers as a way to encourage them to continue gambling.
Two venues situated on the North Coast faced a fine worth a total of AU$3,500, while an ALH manager got suspended from working in the gambling sector of the NSW for five years. As explained by Valerie Griswold, who occupies the position of Executive Director of Investigations and Enforcement for the NSW gambling regulatory body, both venues had used tactics that were specially aimed at encouraging pokie customers to continue gambling.
Ms Griswold further noted that the staff of the ALH venues were encouraged to monitor regular and high-roller customers and offer them free drinks, with the process being documented in staff emails and reports. The practice involved offering free alcoholic drinks to boost customers’ gambling or to reduce a person’s control over their gambling.
Two ALH Venues Breached the Gaming Machines Regulation 2010, NSW Regulator Says
The investigation held by the Liquor and Gaming NSW found that the ALH, along with hotel licensees Ms Rachel Watts and Mr Andrew Wyeth have violated the Gaming Machines Regulation 2010. Apart from that, New South Wales’ gambling regulatory body found that Mr Morgan Bensley, who is a manager of ALH, was not suitable for being a close associate of the hoteliers and suspended him from working in the gambling sector of the state for five years.
The hotels that were found to have breached the provisions of the Gaming Machines Regulation 2010 were suspended from operating their pokies for two weeks, while ALH was imposed a total of AU$172,692 in costs.
According to the gambling regulatory body’s chair Philip Crawford, the fine faced by ALH reflects the seriousness of a coherent administrative system in terms of gambling. As Mr Crawford revealed, the worst part was the fact that the ALH management was fully aware of the illegal actions that had been taking place in their venues. He further noted there was a special system in the venues but instead of identifying gamblers, who were at risk, it was used to better target them in order to further lure them into gambling.
- Author
Olivia Cole
