VGCCC Outlines New Strategy to Tackle Gambling-Related Harm

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has outlined a new strategy to tackle gambling-related harm, called simply Strategy 2029, a three-year action plan that the regulator will now deploy. 

VGCCC Set to Explore New Three-Year Consumer Protection Strategy

According to the VGCCC, the increasingly sophisticated technology used by gambling operators requires a commensurate response, with the regulator also “leveraging tech, data, research, and intelligence to identify risks earlier and act sooner.”

The VGCCC’s plan, backed by the government, will come into effect on January 1, 2027 and then be reviewed after three years. 

The idea behind the measure is to allow the regulator to actively protect consumers and identify specific risks and aspects of the gambling experience that need to be adjusted in order to achieve this.

The VGCCC also acknowledges that regulators are under increased scrutiny to help protect consumers and ensure that they are not at risk of developing issues with the activity they participate in. 

With the increased scrutiny, the VGCCC is hoping to deliver results. By the end of the first three years, the regulator hopes to have collected sufficient evidence to help inform policies and promote proactive actions. 

The Safety of Consumers a Hot-Button Topic in Australia

The main goals are to instill values such as integrity, safety and fairness in regulatory policy in a way that is easy to follow and apply. Apart from this new state policy, the national government is also working on further changes aimed at strengthening player protections.

A suggestion to ban all gambling advertisements will not materialize, but instead a new self-exclusion registry intended to limit individuals’ exposure to gambling ads will be introduced, and funded through a new levy on regulated operators.