Venues reminded to be extra vigilant over the holiday season

Venues need to ensure they have sufficient staffing levels to monitor for player distress and signs of gambling harm. A minimum of at least one Responsible Gambling Officer must be on the gaming floor at all times during operating hours, but should be increased to deal with increased visitation if required. Venues that believe they may be short-staffed should start recruiting additional staff as soon as possible. 

Regional venues need to also prepare for the possibility that money launderers can use the influx of visitors over the holiday period to mask their criminal activity and fly under the radar.  

Please be reminded that suspicious behaviour that may indicate money laundering can include: 

• players cashing out credits with minimal or no game-play   
• redeeming credits using different cashiers each time  
• refusing or being reluctant to produce identification on request  
• use of false identification  
• customers arriving at a venue with substantial amounts of cash (no ATM use observed) 
• customers becoming irate when questioned 
• cash being used has a distinct or unusual odour or is in particularly poor condition  
• customers approaching other patrons to purchase their winning tickets  
• customers bringing in a large quantity of cash to be exchanged at the cashier for higher denominations   

Gaming venue staff can help prevent money laundering by: 

• conducting regular patrols and interactions with customers on the gaming floor  
• doing background checks on staff who work on the gaming floor  
• providing refresher training for staff at regular intervals  
• notifying senior management and the compliance officer if a higher risk customer enters the gaming room 
• reviewing their transaction records (such as cheque and large win payout registers) regularly to identify any unusual activity or patterns.  

As part of our Keep it Clean campaign, we've developed resources for venue staff including an anti-money laundering checklist, video and posters.  

Suspicious activity must be reported to AUSTRAC and any interactions recorded in the venue’s Responsible Gambling Register. You can also report activity to the VGCCC using our complaints and tip off form. 

Venues can also download the AUSTRAC regulatory guide and the AUSTRAC pubs and clubs guidance and resources page here: Pubs and clubs with gaming machines | AUSTRAC.