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Crown affair to trigger more regulatory change Gaming product manufacturers may be required to make changes to the products that they offer in Australia as a result of recent royal commissions into Crown Resorts.
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his was just one of many changes expected for the wider Australian gaming industry as a result of the inquiries in NSW, Victoria, and Western Australia, which saw the company “dragged through the mud” for its responsible gaming, anti-money laundering, corporate culture, and staff training failures. In Australia, all gaming machine equipment is required to follow a national standard (Australian/ New Zealand Gaming Machine National Standard 2016), which sets out requirements related to consumer protection, player information, artwork, security and integrity, auditability, and specifications. States and territories may make further addendums to the standards to fit with their individual requirements. Julian Hoskins, principal at law firm Senet, believes
Asia Gaming Briefings | September 2021
that there will be a review of the standards, particularly as it relates to responsible gambling measures. “Some of the mechanics and features of games may well alter in terms of customer interactions and what customers can do in relation to play,” said Hoskins, in an interview with Asia Gaming Brief. “I expect coming out of the royal commissions there will be a revamp of the Australian and New Zealand gaming standards, that’s work that needs to be done. It’s pretty light as it relates to responsible gaming at the moment and I fully expect regulators to be looking at that.” When asked what specific features of games may earn more regulator attention, Hoskins said he expected “more rapid games and games with the ability to place a higher number of bets” to be a focus for regulators going forward.”
