The Andrews Labor Government in Victoria has rolled out a new scheme allowing clubs with EGM entitlements they cannot use to hand them back and have the debt cleared.
Local Councils and the Victorian Gambling & Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) have been on the front line of an escalating level of focus on gambling harm minimisation.
To operate gaming machines, operators must have both entitlements and the required approvals, but this has left some venues unable to run machines for all their entitlements.
The new scheme will allow clubs and RSLs to return unused entitlements to the VGCCC and have the debt forgiven. Only clubs with entitlements not approved for use are eligible, including where approval was denied by a council or the VGCCC.
The State Government is working with the VGCCC and councils across Victoria to monitor gaming venues. Victoria’s Gaming Minister Melissa Horne recently announced the scheme would be “good news” for eligible clubs, allowing them to put more money back into the community.
Commencing this month, the program was created in consultation with affected venues and Community Clubs Victoria (CCV), which has been working for some time with government for such a surrender scheme to help affected licensed clubs.
“We take this opportunity to thank Minister Horne and her officials for confirming these arrangements, which will assist Victorian clubs who have been locked into re-payment schedules for entitlements that they cannot use or derive any benefit from, due to town planning regulations,” said a statement from the CCV.
Operators not eligible for EGM surrender can still transfer or sell entitlements, or in cases of financial hardship can appeal to the VGCCC for a variation to their payment terms.
