The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined Crown Melbourne $100,000 after an excluded patron was able to gamble on the premises for almost 15 hours without intervention.
VGCCC CEO Suzy Neilan said the case highlights the importance of robust safeguards to protect at-risk individuals.
Ms Neilan said:
Exclusion is a critical harm-minimisation measure. It creates a clear barrier between a vulnerable person and the gambling environment.
The breach took place on 31 October 2024, when an individual—formally excluded by Crown in August for welfare reasons—entered the casino and gambled continuously for 14 hours and 40 minutes. During that time, they were not approached by Crown PlaySafe staff or any other employee.
Ms Neilan added:
For nearly 15 hours, the person was able to gamble without a break, without staff interaction, and without being detected by surveillance systems. Crown only became aware of the breach after a VGCCC inspector raised the alert.
She noted that while the individual tried to conceal their identity, the incident demonstrates that Crown’s systems and controls still fail to adequately prevent excluded persons from entering and gambling.
Crown cooperated with the investigation and has introduced additional measures over the past year, including reconfiguring entry points, repositioning facial-recognition cameras, and providing ongoing training for frontline staff.
Ms Neilan said:
This incident shows how challenging exclusion enforcement can be, but also reinforces the need for continuous improvement. Crown Melbourne must ensure its procedures are regularly reviewed so the risk of an excluded individual entering the casino is minimised.
