In a bid to curb problem gambling, Melbourne’s Crown Casino has been issued strong directives from the Victorian State Government’s Casino, Gambling and Liquor regulatory body. Strict limits are to be imposed and effectively enforced on how long an individual can gamble, and how long they must wait to return to the gambling floor.

The Government’s new directive has been developed in accordance with recommendation 11 of the Royal Commission, re-enforcing that it is the casino operator’s imperative to prevent and/or monitor for gambling harm.

The details of the policy issue state that Crown casino must enforce a 15-minute break on any gambling participant who has been active for 3 continuous hours, that anyone who has gambled for more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period must take a 24-hour break and no one is permitted to gamble for more than 36 hours in a week.

Crown casino staff have been afforded the power to exclude anyone from the gambling floor. Along with which, they have been instructed as to how and when they should interact with a person demonstrating signs of gambling harm. Actions such as encouraging a patron to take a break and recommending harm services.

Punishment for failure to comply or an infringement against these directives has already been set at a maximum of AU$100 million (US$67 million). With any breach worthy of a congruent penalty or disciplinary action from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission.

In a statement made by Melissa Horne, Victoria’s Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, she stressed the high expectation she has for Crown casino to become a global leader in reduction of gambling harm. As well as expressing the extreme intolerance her governing body would have for anything less than a potent success.

It is little wonder directives such as these are being implemented in Australia. In 2017 it was estimated that 200,000 Australians had a “high-level problem” with gambling. A number, judging by the obscene increase in revenue, can only have grown in the interim.

Gambling in Australia is one of the biggest global markets, and has been for some time now. So it makes sense that such a lucrative industry should safeguard its customers that spend so much money keeping the industry a float.