Victoria's gaming industry : an insight into the role of the regulator
Overview
The role of a regulator in any industry is central to the maintenance of public confidence in the integrity and fairness of activities within the particular industry. This situation is directly applicable to the regulatory functions of the Victorian Casino and Gaming Authority within the State’s gambling industry. In Victoria, the Authority has the major and challenging task of ensuring that gambling activities are conducted honestly and remain free from criminal influence and exploitation.The importance of the Authority’s work has been reinforced by the marked expansion of the gambling industry in the period since 1992–93 following the introduction of electronic gaming machines within Victoria and the establishment of a casino adjacent to the business centre of Melbourne. The manner in which the Authority has discharged its regulatory responsibilities having regard to these contemporary characteristics of the industry has been the principal focus of attention during this performance audit. Finally, the Report identifies that the Authority has overseen in recent years an extensive range of research activity into the social impact of gambling. The collective results of this research were an important source of information for the Government in reaching its decision in December 1997 to retain the cap of 27 500 electronic gaming machines in Victoria until the year 2000. The Authority is also carefully refining its performance measurement and reporting framework to further drive its management improvement process and service its accountability obligations to Parliament and the Government.