Liquor & Gaming NSW, the gambling watchdog in New South Wales, has commenced a new compliance operation intended at preventing gambling and alcohol consumption by individuals under the age of 18, steering them clear of venues that offer these activities.
The regulator has reminded that minors who are caught in adult venues that provide gambling services or serve alcohol could face severe consequences, including fines and bans that will prevent them from re-entering for more than a year once they turn 18.
The fine could go up to $4,400 and include a ban from entering casinos until they are the age of 19. Repeat offenders, i.e. people who have been caught and banned from entry, may face even tougher measures – a fine of up to $5,500 and up to 12 months of prison time.
This is an interesting approach that puts the responsibility on minors who are fined directly by the regulator. The move comes at a time when New Jersey in the United States is proposing to decriminalize the instances of minors entering casino floors and replace them with civil penalties instead.
Commenting on this new public awareness campaign, Liquor & Gaming NSW Executive Director of Regulatory Operations Dimitri Argeres has said that inspectors are already working together with establishments to ensure that underage individuals are not entering such venues nor engaging in prohibited activities.
According to Argeres, "this is a critical time of year when we see an increase in people visiting casinos, and it’s essential that minors are not among them."
Liquor & Gaming NSW has been looking to curb the instances of underage gambling at casinos. One of the more severe cases registered has to do with a 17-year-old individual who used a fake ID to spend over an hour gambling.
The good news is that local establishments are well-equipped to discover such fraudulent attempts. The bad news is that they are not yet quick enough to stop this from happening in the first place.
"Our goal is not only to catch offenders but also to proactively prevent breaches. We are working closely with casino operators to enhance internal controls and educate staff on the critical role they play in preventing underage access," Argeres concluded.
Image credit: Unsplash.com