Goulburn Valley Hotel (GVH) Shepparton Pty Ltd has been issued a $100,000 fine for providing false information to the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).

In November 2022, GVH applied for a licence to operate 40 poker machines at the Shepparton hotel but did not disclose that the licence nominee had been found guilty of 2 counts of negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime, without conviction, in June 2022.

VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt AM said it is a requirement under the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 (Vic) that criminal offending is disclosed as part of the licence application process.

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“By providing wrong information, an applicant impedes the regulator from fully assessing their suitability to hold a licence,” she said.

“We expect applicants to abide by the law and provide complete and accurate information. This is a critical part of ensuring that the gambling industry operates with safety and integrity and is free from criminal influence or exploitation.”

Ms Kimmitt said GVH’s cooperation with the investigation was taken into account in determining the fine.

“The $100,000 fine reflects the severity of the offence and should demonstrate to other applicants and operators that we’re serious about compliance with legal obligations.”

Additional licence and reporting conditions have been applied to GVH and another venue operator licence associated with the nominee, Pan Hotels Pty Ltd.

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Aristocrat Leisure Limited announced that Natasha Chand has been nominated as a Non-Executive Director of the Company, subject to the receipt of all relevant regulatory pre-approvals.

Ms Chand is based in the US and is a seasoned business and technology executive with over 25 years’ experience building and leading consumer brands globally. Ms Chand has held executive and advisory roles in strategy, business transformation, digital marketing and supply chain optimisation for companies including Levi Strauss, Target Australia, Amazon and McKinsey & Company. Ms Chand currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the board of the NYSE-listed Hanesbrands Inc and is an advisor to early-stage and Fortune 500 companies, among other appointments.

Ms Chand holds an MBA from Stanford University and a degree in Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario, both with honours.

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Aristocrat Chairman, Mr Neil Chatfield, said: “I am delighted to welcome a colleague of Natasha’s calibre and experience to the Board. Natasha’s skills and global perspectives across areas including omni-channel and consumer strategy, digital technology and business transformation are highly relevant, in particular as Aristocrat deepens its presence in online RMG markets and executes its ambitious growth strategy. I look forward to Natasha’s contribution to our continued success.”

Ms Chand will stand for election as a Non-Executive Director at Aristocrat’s next Annual General Meeting.

The Independent Panel brought together, for the first time, a mix of industry representatives, harm minimisation experts, police, experts in cybersecurity and privacy, academics, community organisations and a person with lived experience of gambling harm.

Specifically, the Independent Panel examined the feasibility and acceptance of implementing cashless gaming technologies in clubs and hotels in NSW to gain insights from the technology to inform the Roadmap report.

Independent Panel for Gaming Reform Chairperson Michael Foggo said the panel’s Executive Committee has put forward an ambitious roadmap for gaming reform for the government to consider.

“This has been challenging and complex work, and I thank each of the panel’s 16 members for their time, expertise and enthusiasm over the 16 months of the panel’s work, and for contributing their views to developing the recommendations,” Mr Foggo said.

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“The trial of this new technology was an important step to better understand the benefits and challenges for its implementation, giving technology providers, venues, patrons and government insights on operational issues tested in the real world.

“The trial learnings, advice from experts, research and evidence have informed the recommendations and safeguards to manage gambling harm and money-laundering risks and inform reasonable implementation timeframes to minimise impacts on industry.

“The roadmap also includes recommendations to progress the government’s commitment to reduce the overall number of gaming machine entitlements in NSW, as well as removing unnecessary complexity and further streamlining existing gaming regulatory regimes.”

The Independent Panel provided the government with separate advice on issues including mandating facial recognition technology to identify self-excluded patrons, and the establishment of a statewide exclusion register with third party exclusions.

The Executive Committee noted that further work needs to be undertaken by the government in developing its preferred approach to gaming reform.

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