VGCCC Berates Operators for Sports Club Sponsorship Inducements

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The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), the gaming regulator for the Australian state, has released a statement issuing a warning to gambling companies to stop inducements through sports club sponsorship.

Gambling providers in the Australian state are signing agreements with sporting clubs and are getting the clubs to offer inducements for customers to create accounts with the gaming operators. The clubs typically earn revenue for each account sign-up with a gambling operator and can also receive extra revenue based on the amount the customer spends.

Related: VGCCC to Ban Betting in Victoria on Under 19 Sports Events

VGCCC is critical of this sort of promotion from the gambling operators and feels it may breach the rule that says “providers are prohibited from offering any credit, voucher, reward, or other benefits as an incentive to open an account or refer another person to open an account.”

The VGCCC says all gaming operators have the responsibility to minimize harm to gamblers, and this is part of the social license of the operators the VGCCC has laid this out in guidelines earlier this year.

Regulators in the gaming industry worldwide are expressing concern over the association between sporting clubs and gambling companies. This is because supporters of sports clubs, especially young adults, may be unduly influenced to start gambling due to their affinity with a sports team.

Spirit of the Law

The VGCCC has reminded gaming operators that the regulator does not just expect gambling companies to comply with the letter of the law but also expects the operators to uphold the spirit of the regulations.

The regulator is trying to foster a sense of community among all the stakeholders in the gambling industry in Victoria and states that as members of the general society, gaming operators have a responsibility to prevent any action that places customers in a potentially vulnerable position.

Related: VGCCC Draws a Line in the Sand for Gaming Operators

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