Key government bodies
The key Victorian and Australian government bodies and regulators associated with gambling are:
Victoria
The Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation is Ms Melissa Horne. She is also the Minister for Local Government, Minister for Roads and Road Safety and Minister for Ports and Freight.
The Minister for Racing is Mr Anthony Carbines.
The Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing (OLGR) supports the work of the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation regarding legislation and regulation, gambling issues, and industry initiatives. The Gambling Licensing Program was established in July 2015 within the OLGR with the purpose of overseeing the delivery of all current and upcoming gambling licensing projects.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) is an independent statutory authority responsible for the regulation of gambling and liquor laws, the provision of licenses and the monitoring of compliance in Victoria. It also collects gambling taxes and levies. It began operation in 2022 as a successor to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation.
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) is responsible for hearing appeals from decisions made by the VGCCC. Contact VCAT to obtain specific information about hearings.
The Racing Integrity Commissioner is Mr Sean Carroll. The functions of the Racing Integrity Commissioner include conducting annual audits of the internal integrity and animal welfare processes and systems of Victoria’s three racing codes (thoroughbred, harness, greyhound), investigating complaints made about integrity processes and systems, and investigating matters referred by the Minister for Racing.
Australia
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is responsible for the telecommunications structure in Australia. This includes administration of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which governs gambling over phones and the internet. The department provides a dedicated webpage covering online gambling.
The Department of Social Services has a webpage dedicated to gambling in the 'Communities and Vulnerable people' section of their website. It outlines Australian government initiatives in the area, including work being undertaken to help problem gamblers.