The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) identified several minor breaches during an inspection operation across western Victoria. However, no significant compliance failures were found.
Inspectors visited 16 locations across the Grampians region during the Horsham Cup weekend from 16 to 18 October, focusing primarily on the Rural City of Horsham while also covering Ararat, Stawell and Hamilton.
Every gaming venue and operator within the Horsham local government area was visited as part of the operation, which covered poker machine venues, TAB outlets and Horsham Racing Club.
Among the issues identified, staff at an Ararat venue were unable to encode a casual YourPlay card when requested by inspectors. A Hamilton venue was found to have non-compliant poker machine signage, while one bookmaker at Horsham Racing Club failed to display identification.
The VGCCC said it was working with the relevant operators and licensee to rectify the issues and improve their understanding of regulatory requirements.
Horsham has 153 poker machines across three licensed venues. Expenditure on the machines reached AU$13.7m during the 2025/26 financial year.
The regulator said regional inspections are intended not only to identify potential violations but also to help operators understand obligations associated with the gambling products they provide.
Across Victoria, annual gambling expenditure exceeds AU$7bn, including AU$2.6bn spent on wagering and sports betting.
The inspection results were announced ahead of Gambling Harm Awareness Week, which runs from 24 to 31 October. This year's campaign encourages gamblers to take breaks, limit betting frequency and set time limits before gambling.
The VGCCC is also reminding operators that harm minimisation requirements remain an ongoing regulatory obligation and said enforcement action may be taken when operators fail to comply.
Compliance checks did not go as well today for The Star... which was fined a massive AU$260m for AML/CTF breaches
