SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has issued a warning to both sports clubs and online wagering providers in regards to partnerships between the two.
The regulator has reminded sports outfits within the state that they must be mindful of community expectations around encouraging members to sign up to betting products.
A media statement read: “The VGCCC is aware that some online wagering providers are entering into sponsorship agreements with sporting clubs to induce their members to create accounts with the provider by linking financial incentives to each member of the club that signs up.
“Clubs are sometimes given additional incentives based on the spending by their members.”
Additionally, the regulator has also demanded that wagering service providers stop promoting their products in this manner immediately as they may be in breach of legislation, in addition to being inconsistent with their social licence to minimise harm.
The VGCC also cited section 4.7.10 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003, which notes that providers are prohibited from offering any credit, voucher, reward, or other benefit as an incentive to open an account or refer another person to open an account.
“The VGCCC doesn’t just hold gambling providers to the minimum letter of the law – but their social licence as well,” it was added.
“Sporting clubs need to be mindful of community expectations around incentivising members, and potentially junior members, to gamble.
“We encourage sporting clubs to refrain from entering into such sponsorship deals which may harm members and may constitute illegal behaviour by the wagering provider.”
Also this month, the gambling regulator of Victoria introduced a ban on betting markets for sports involving under-19 year-old participants.
An update from the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) stated that bets can no longer be taken on sports events where all participants are minors, fixtures for under-19s and open events in which minors are competing.
The latter now means that a bet can be placed on the ‘team’ playing in the open event, but wagers on specific outcomes involving players who are under-18 – such as the number of goals scored by an under-18 player in a football game, for example – are not allowed.
