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Αυστραλία – Το Στέμμα αντιμετωπίζει πειθαρχικά μέτρα για «κουμπιά κενού» σε κουλοχέρηδες

Australian casino operator Crown Resorts could see its Melbourne licence suspended by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation for ‘blanking buttons’ on its slot machines.

Whilst this is the worst case scenario the signs are not good with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation confirming it had started ‘disciplinary proceedings against the casino operator.’

The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation said: “These proceedings relate to the use of blanking of buttons on certain electronic gaming machines on the casino floor. An investigation into this matter was already underway prior to the claims being tabled in parliament.”

Crown Casino has been accused of removing gambling options, including the disabling of lower bet provisions and the modifying of buttons to allow prohibited autoplay, on 17 of its slot machines in what crown claims was part of a ‘three week trial.’

Both of these changes would lead to increased gambling losses for the player.

Ένας παρατηρητής είπε: «Απαλλαγούν από τις πέντε, 10, 20 επιλογές, επομένως οι επιλογές σας ήταν μία, που είναι να ποντάρετε δύο σεντς στη μεσαία γραμμή, ή 40, που είναι όλοι οι συνδυασμοί».

Η Crown επιβεβαίωσε ότι τα «κουμπιά κενού» έλαβαν χώρα σε 17 από τα 2,627 μηχανήματα της στο καζίνο Southbank της Μελβούρνης, αλλά πρόσθεσε ότι δεν χρειαζόταν έγκριση για τη δοκιμή, που διεξήχθη μεταξύ Μαρτίου και Απριλίου 2017, και δεν παραβίασε τον νόμο περί τζόγου.

“The commission’s view is that the trial involved varying a gaming machine type and certain games in a manner that required the commission’s prior approval,” it said. “Crown Melbourne’s position is that the trial did not require prior approval and therefore there has been no contravention of the Gambling Regulation Act. Crown Melbourne has recently provided a detailed submission of its position to the commission, which Crown Melbourne understands the commission’s currently considering.”

The Commission has already investigated and rejected other allegations against the operator. Crown had also been accused of turning a blind eye to identity documents required for money laundering laws, using different player ID cards when processing large transactions of more than $10,000, allowing certain players to smoke marijuana in some gaming rooms and ignoring signs of problematic slot play.

The evidence was brought to light last year by independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

He said: “The casino obviously has a case to answer about the blanking of buttons and I’m sure that the truth will come out when the commission finalises its inquiries. Clearly the commission’s concern makes a mockery of Crown’s outright rejection of these allegations when I raised them in October. Both parties are telling different stories, and clearly only one can be right.”