Stricter Gambling Regulations to Be Introduced by the Queensland Government

The Queensland government, led by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, is introducing new stricter regulations and controls over the casino industry in the state.

New Bill Implements Recommendations from the Gotterson Review

Casino operators in Queensland will be under much closer scrutiny from now on. Following major discrepancy revelations in the casino sector in the state, the Palaszczuk government has moved forward with making considerable changes to the state’s gambling legislation by passing the new Casino Control and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022.

According to attorney-general and minister for justice Shannon Fentiman, the new bill will help casinos operate in a law-abiding way and put more focus on combating the harms coming from gambling.

Additionally, these new regulations will eradicate any illegal or unethical operations and will ensure that casinos operate in a more transparent way.

The government has made clear that the new bill is grounded on the findings of the Honourable Robert Gotterson’s inquiry into the operations of The Star Entertainment Group’s casinos in Queensland.

Fentiman has highlighted the urgency of the reforms: “Given the extremely serious and concerning findings of the Gotterson Review, the Government has acted swiftly to prioritize critical reforms that address certain key matters in Mr Gotterson’s report.”

In his review, Gotterson made a number of recommendations for new legislation that the Palaszczuk government has tried to implement with the Casino Control and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022.

What the New Bill Entails for the Casino Industry in Queensland?

One of the key changes introduced with the Casino Control and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 will be that the Queensland authorities can now impose disciplinary fines on casino operators of up to AUD 100 million ($62 million).

Under the new legislation, casinos will be required to report any regulatory violations that they encounter and they will also be obliged to make a collaborative effort with the regulator to eradicate these breaches or else face major fines.

The bill will also allow for the introduction of a variety of payment methods in order to drive casinos away from cash transactions and make financial activities more transparent and easier to oversee.

The new regulations also allow for the appointment of a special manager who is to oversee a casino operator’s activities and alerts the Queensland government in case of any violations that need to be acted upon. 

Additionally, the government will no longer be required to offer reimbursement to casinos in case it introduces stricter regulatory measures like it is in other Australian states.