VGCCC Prohibits Betting on Minor Sports Events

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), an independent body that regulates all gambling activities in Victoria, goes even further when it comes to taking care of the safety and security of the players in the state.

New rules:

The minors and all players that didn’t turn 19 will be banned from placing any bets on sports events. Also, gamblers won’t be able to place their bets on individual players who are under 18 in both junior and senior sports.

The VGCCC sent a letter to all regulatory bodies and sports betting providers, saying that they are “determined that permitting betting on minors is contrary to the public interest and poses potential integrity and gambling-related harm concerns.”  

The regulator is mostly concerned about minors since they’re more prone to be influenced. One more concern is related to undermining the integrity of sporting events, including involving children in various types of sports betting activities.

There are several things that will be prohibited from betting on, including sports events where all players are minors and all sports events for people younger than 19 years. 

When it comes to open sports events where the minors are playing, theoretically, the bets can be placed on the whole team but not on specific minor players and their outcomes.

All sporting organizations that are included in the betting controlling and regulations are obligated to revise the deals with operators and ensure that betting on minors is strictly prohibited. The same works for independent sports that aren’t regulated and approved by the authorities.

Obligations and requirements:

According to the official press release, the authorities have 60 days to agree upon new rules and start complying with them.

Fran Thorn, a Chair of VGCCC, said: “The idea that it is okay to bet on minors just doesn’t stand up. We think minors deserve to be protected. It also raises integrity issues, with the prospect of people attempting to influence how minors might behave playing sports. If sports controlling bodies and betting providers do not comply with this decision, we will take action, which may include revoking our approval of sports controlling bodies and prosecuting betting providers.”  

In a letter that had been sent to all interested parties, the authority claimed: “The VGCCC is of the view that betting on contingencies in sporting events relating to the performance of an individual minor in that sporting event is contrary to the public interest.”

The letter that had been sent to the authorities that are in charge of controlling the betting industry was sent in February. This ruling reminds the bodies of their duties when it comes to maintaining the sport’s integrity, asking for information about the situation in the sports betting industry that concerned minor gambling.