Queensland Introduces Changes to Existing Casino Legislation
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The state government in Queensland, Australia has introduced amendments in Parliament to the existing casino legislation in the region.
The purpose of amending the Casino Control and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 is to reduce and minimize gambling-related harm and create an environment where players can gamble responsibly. The changes also follow an external review of The Star Casino in Queensland and some of the 12 recommendations that resulted from this review.
Related: Gamblers in Queensland lose more than AUD5 billion
Yvette D’Ath, the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General in the state said the changes to gambling laws will modernise the casino and gaming industry in Queensland. Some of the key points in the amendments are mandatory carded play, a cashless gaming environment, responsible gambling, and licensed casinos in Queensland to face inquiries every five years.
The new laws will ensure organizations associated with Queensland casinos are subject to inquiries every five years. This will assist in determining the ongoing suitability of those organisations.
Responsible Gaming Initiatives
One of the amendments is mandatory carded play, where the player taps an electronic card before they can start a gambling session. This information is to be made available to regulators and will be collated with a view to investigating the gaming habits of players at casinos.
The Queensland government is pushing for a reduction in the use of cash for gambling and wants players to use to an electronic card. This means players can easily set limits on the amount they want to gamble and would also help to enforce mandatory breaks for gamblers, which has been demonstrated to reduce gambling-related harm.
The Star Review highlighted that self-exclusion policies should be re-examined and modernized in an era of more advanced technology.
Casino Executives to Face Penalties for Breaches
In the new legislation, there is a provision to hold to account both the casino operators and the casino executives when evaluating the operations at state casinos in Queensland.
The government states there will be hefty penalty charges for individual casino executives who are found to have breached the guidelines in the amended gambling legislation.
Casino executives will be required to undertake particular duties in relation to the operation of a casino, and there will be significant personal penalties for non-compliance. There will also be a supervision levy imposed on casino licensees so that the costs of regulating casinos will not be passed onto taxpayers.
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