Crown Melbourne has been fined $2 million by the Victorian gambling regulator after allowing 242 people who had self-excluded themselves from gambling to place bets.

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) said the casino allowed the people to place bets over an 8-month period between October 2023 and May 2024.

Self-exclusion is an industry-operated program where individuals may bar themselves from gambling venues to prevent themselves from placing bets.

It’s an offence in Victoria to allow any excluded person to enter, remain or gamble at the casino.

VGCCC Chair Fran Thorn said Crown was obligated to protect people at risk of gambling harm.

“Those who self-exclude must be able to trust that gambling providers will take all reasonable steps to enforce their decision to avail themselves of this harm prevention initiative,” Ms Thorn said.

“By allowing people who have self-excluded to enter the casino and gamble, Crown has put them at risk of experiencing further gambling harm.”

However, Ms Thorn noted that a number of the 242 people who had self-excluded were “going to considerable lengths” to circumvent the exclusion and place bets undetected.

The VGCCC attributed the breaches to systemic failures rather than deliberate disregard by Crown.

“Accordingly, the Commission has issued a direction to Crown to engage an independent expert to assess the effectiveness of, and make recommendations for improving, the management of its self-exclusion program. In due course, Crown will be required to implement the independent expert’s recommendations,” Ms Thorn said.

Crown said it was working with the VGCCC to address the issue.

“Crown is committed to ensuring a safe and responsible gaming environment with a focus on guest wellbeing and harm minimisation,” a Crown spokesperson said.

“We continue to work with the VGCCC on these and other matters to protect people at risk of gambling harm.”

The fines come after the end of a two-year probation period in March of this year, when the VGCCC declared that Crown would keep its licence to run Victoria’s only casino following improved behaviour.

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission has previously fined the casino more than $250 million for various breaches.