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The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has outlawed betting on children in sports events in a bold effort to protect youngsters from the potential effects of gambling and preserve the integrity of sporting events. Various parties have applauded the restriction, which also applies to individual performance betting for athletes under the age of 18 competing in senior or junior competitions.
The VGCCC’s prohibition, which targets athletic events when all participants are minors, has broad repercussions. It expressly forbids betting when a participant is a minor on outcomes like first goal scorer or first wicket taken. This proactive strategy tries to reduce the likelihood that children may be persuaded to participate in gambling activities.
Chair of VGCCC, Fran Thorn, asserted, “The idea that it is okay to bet on minors just doesn’t stand up. We think minors deserve to be protected. It also raises integrity issues, with the prospect of people attempting to influence how minors might behave playing sport.”
Sports regulating bodies and betting operators have been given 60 days starting on August 3 to alter contracts with betting providers in order to ensure compliance with the new regulations. With this change, the sector will be brought into compliance with the VGCCC’s concept of responsible gambling practices by forbidding the offering of markets to minors.
Violations of the prohibition might have major repercussions for Victoria’s betting companies and athletic organizations. The government’s steadfast commitment to upholding the prohibition is demonstrated by the threat of punishment or loss of approval to conduct sports in the state for noncompliance.
The VGCCC stated that there were two main issues that led to the prohibition. Integrity is the first area of concern because adolescents are vulnerable to tactics designed to compromise the integrity of athletic activities. The VGCCC seeks to safeguard the integrity of contests by banning betting on minors.
The second issue is the possible harm that gambling might do to youngsters. Inadvertently normalizing gambling for younger audiences by wagering on kid-related activities may help foster a society where underage gambling is regarded as acceptable.
The Victoria government is making a larger effort to lessen harm caused by gambling, and the prohibition on betting involving minors is not an isolated action. Broad regulations targeting electronic gambling machines were announced last month.
Initiating measures that include obligatory pre-commitment limitations, identification verification through carded play, decreased load-up limits, curfews in venues between 4 am and 10 am, and slowed spin speeds, Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister Melissa Horne took the lead. The strongest gaming harm reduction and anti-money laundering policies in Australia are the goals of these initiatives.
These changes were brought about as a result of the Royal Commission’s investigation into wrongdoing at Crown Melbourne. According to the Commission’s conclusions, the casino is “unsuitable” to have a license in the state and its activities involve unlawful, dishonest, unethical, and exploitative behavior.
In response, the Victorian government formed the VGCCC as the state’s gaming regulating body in an effort to transform the gambling industry.
The VGCCC received AU$71 million from the 2023 Victoria budget to expand its role in gambling harm reduction. As part of this change, the VGCCC will take over the majority of the duties now performed by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation and will start acting as the main proponent of responsible gambling behavior on July 1st, 2024.