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An Alpine Shire man has been found guilty of playing a gaming machine outside venue hours.
Appearing before the Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on 31 October 2016, the defendant, who is employed as a gaming machine supervisor at an Alpine Shire venue, entered a plea of guilty to after-hours gambling.
Under section 3.5.22(1) of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, a person must not play a gaming machine in an approved venue at any time when the approved venue is closed to the public.
The court heard that on 6 October 2015, the defendant started his shift at the venue at 3:30pm. On that day the venue’s trading hours were from 10am to 11pm and he was rostered to work until 11:30pm.
At 11:15pm, while on duty the defendant commenced play on a gaming machine after the venue had closed. By gambling $3 on the machine, the defendant won $250 in accumulated credits. After pressing the machine’s gambling button a further five times, at 11:22pm, the defendant won $8,229.80 in accumulated credits. He then pressed the machine’s “collect” button, and made arrangements for the win to be cleared from the screen. Afterwards, he locked up the venue and left.
The following morning, the defendant reported his win of accumulated credits to the venue’s general manager who then contacted the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission . At no time were the winnings paid by the venue to the defendant.
After considering all of the materials and submissions, the court found the defendant guilty with no conviction. It also considered it appropriate to place the defendant on a 12 month good behaviour bond with a condition to pay Gateway Health $650 and to pay prosecution costs in the amount of $300.
All winnings as a result of the finding of guilt will be forfeited from the venue to the State’s Consolidated Fund.
For more information on prosecutions against licensed premises or persons, please visit the Prosecutions page.
