“Nothing can make up for the harm a Melbourne family experienced as a result of the failure by multiple operators to prevent a young teen from gambling between May 2022 and October 2023,” Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) CEO Annette Kimmitt AM said.

Her comment followed the conclusion of VGCCC’s most comprehensive action to date for underage gambling – more than 2000 hours of investigations, 14 prosecutions against 10 entities, 98 charges and fines totalling half-a-million dollars.

The VGCCC investigation was prompted by concerns reported by the mother of the then 17-year-old, whose neurodiversity, in addition to his age, put him at high risk of gambling harm.

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Ms Kimmitt said: “I can only imagine how difficult it was for the mother to come to us and I commend her for doing so. I hope the outcomes and conclusion of these proceedings bring her some comfort, following the significant trauma she and her family have gone through.

“When industry is not diligent about complying with its legal and social obligations, the consequences for everyday Victorians can be serious and long lasting, which is why the VGCCC is determined to hold operators to account.”

The final case was heard before the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria on Thursday 13 February. Correct Bet Pty Ltd, the operator of the Coburg TAB outlet, pleaded guilty to two charges and was fined $3000 without conviction and ordered to pay VGCCC costs of $5500.

Magistrate Hodgson considered that Correct Bet had no prior convictions in 14 years of operation across multiple venues and had implemented additional measures, including staff training, mobile phone policy changes, and regular CCTV monitoring.

Separately, on Friday 7 February, Supreme Edinburgh Pty Ltd, trading as the Duke of Edinburgh in Brunswick, pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court to three counts of breaching the Gambling Regulation Act 2003. The operator was fined $2500 and ordered to pay VGCCC costs of $4950.

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Ms Kimmitt said: “It is a venue’s responsibility to ensure minors do not access a designated gambling area, let alone gamble, no matter how determined or convincing a child might be.

“We welcome the outcome of these court hearings, which bring to a close all prosecutions involving this family. Unfortunately, the family’s recovery from this experience is likely to take a lot longer and leave a painful scar.”

NetBet Denmark has announced a new agreement with iGaming business Thunderkick, which will see their library of exciting games added to NetBet Denmark’s already-long list of available titles.

As an independent studio, Thunderkick has enjoyed rapid growth since its founding in 2012, disrupting a crowded market with constant innovation. Perhaps the best example of this is the numerous awards nominations the company has received. Most recently, Thunderkick was nominated for the Best Game Provider of the Year title at the Bigwinboard Awards 2023, while two of its games – “Bones & Bounty” and “The Wildos” – were also nominated for Best Online Slot of the Year as well as best feature and design at Casino Beats Awards.

While Thunderkick has plenty of exciting titles to offer, Esqueleto Explosivo 2 Reborn, Midas Golden Touch 2 and Pink Elephants 2 are among the flagship new games that NetBet Denmark players will be able to enjoy.

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Claudia Georgevici, PR manager at NetBet Denmark, said: “At NetBet, we are very selective about who we partner with, and this means that we can help make sure our players have access to the best games on the market. Thunderkick’s numerous nominations and award wins demonstrates the high quality of their titles, making them an ideal partner as we look to expand our global market reach.”