Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) said Monday it had filed 98 charges and achieved 14 prosecutions against 10 companies for the illegal provision of gambling to minors – part of what it described as its “most comprehensive action to date for underage gambling”.
In a statement, the VGCCC said it had issued fines totalling AU$499,000 (US$316,000) following 2,000 hours of investigation sparked by a report by the mother of a 17-year-old she believed was at high risk of gambling harm due to them being neurodivergent.
“Nothing can make up for the harm a Melbourne family experienced as a result of the failure by multiple operators to prevent a young teen from gambling between May 2022 and October 2023,” said VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt in reference to the incident.
