Inside Asian Gaming

IAG DEC 2022年12月 亞博匯 22 CROWN MELBOURNE HIT WITH AU$120 MILLION FINE FOR RG FAILURES CROWN MELBOURNE因未履行 負責任博彩義務被罰款1.2億澳元 CROWN MELBOURNE has been whacked with a record AU$120 million (US$77 million) fine by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) for failures within its Responsible Service of Gambling obligations uncovered during last year’s Royal Commission. The fine is the second major financial hit Crown Melbourne has suffered since being found unsuitable to hold its casino license, with the VGCCC having already issued a fine of AU$80 million (US$51 million) in May for Crown’s illegal use of China Union Pay cards for gambling transactions. This latest punishment covers two serious breaches, the VGCCC said, with Crown found to have “breached its code of conduct for the Responsible Service of Gambling over many years by consistently failing to intervene to prevent gambling harm, allowing customers to often gamble for long periods without a break, sometimes for more than 24 hours.” Crown also failed to comply with a statutory direction by the regulator to take all reasonable steps to prevent patrons from using plastic picks and other devices to simulate automatic play when gambling on certain electronic gaming machines. “At the Royal Commission, Crown accepted the Responsible Service of Gambling as both a legal obligation and a condition of its social license to operate,” said VGCCC Chairperson Fran Thorn. “For a long time, Crown failed in its legal and moral obligation to ensure it provided its gambling products and services in a manner which minimized potential harm to its patrons, their families, friends and communities. “The record fines totalling $120 million that we have imposed on Crown today will send a powerful message to Crown that the Commission will not tolerate misconduct that exposes our community to increased risks of gambling related harm.” 維州博彩 及賭場管理委員會 (VGCCC) 對Crown Melbourne處以 創紀錄的1.2億澳元（7700萬美元）罰款，原因是去年皇家委員 會發現該公司未能履行負責任博彩義務。 這是Crown Melbourne自從被認定不適格持有賭牌以來遭受 的第二次重大財務打擊。今年5月，該酒店應為非法使用中國銀 聯卡套現用於賭博資金而被處以8000萬澳元（5100萬美元）的 罰款。 VGCCC表示，此次處罰覆蓋兩項嚴重違規行為，其中皇冠 被發現「多年來一直違反了其對負責任博彩的行為準則，一直未 能干預防止賭博造成的傷害，導致賓客長時間賭博沒有休息，有 時超過24小時。」 皇冠也未能遵守監管機構的法定指示，即採取一切合理措 施，防止客戶在某些電子遊戲機上賭博時使用撥片和其他模擬自 動玩法的設備。 VGCCC主席Fran Thorn說：「在皇家調查委員會上，皇冠接 受負責任博彩的服務為其作為一項法律義務及社會經營牌照的條 件。」 「長期以來，皇冠未能履行其法律和道德義務，以確保其提 供賭博產品和服務的方式盡可能減少對顧客、他們的家人、朋友 和社區的潛在傷害。」 「我們今天對皇冠處以創紀錄的1.2億美元罰款，這將向皇 冠發出一個強而有力的信息，即委員會不能容忍我們的社區面臨 賭博相關傷害風險增加的不當行為。」