SkyCity Entertainment Group, a prominent casino operator in New Zealand, recently came to an agreement with the Secretary for Internal Affairs regarding a complaint about allowing a patron to gamble continuously and lose a significant amount of money. As part of the settlement, SkyCity will be required to close the gaming floor of its flagship casino in Auckland for five consecutive days before the end of 2024, with the closure dates needing approval from the country’s gambling commission and covering a Monday to Friday period. This closure is estimated to result in a NZ$5m (US$3m) loss in earnings for the company.
The complaint arose from a patron who had gambled over NZ$1m (US$607,264) at the Auckland facility between August 2017 and February 2021, with one instance of playing pokies for more than nine hours without any intervention. SkyCity acknowledged its failure to adhere to licensing requirements, attributing the oversight to a technology design error that prevented proper monitoring of the player’s activity. Additionally, the company admitted that the vigilance of its staff members was inadequate.
In response to the incident, SkyCity Chairperson Julian Cook emphasized the need for the company to enhance its risk systems and improve its approach to addressing problem gambling and financial crime. It is evident that there is still significant work to be done in these areas to ensure compliance with regulations and uphold responsible gambling practices.
Moving forward, SkyCity must prioritize implementing robust measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future and demonstrate a commitment to promoting a safe and responsible gaming environment for all patrons. The closure of the gaming floor serves as a reminder of the consequences of failing to uphold regulatory standards and the importance of maintaining high levels of integrity and accountability in the gambling industry.
Overall, this settlement serves as a wake-up call for SkyCity and other casino operators to prioritize player well-being and compliance with regulations to avoid potential sanctions and reputational damage. By learning from this incident and taking proactive steps to enhance responsible gambling practices, SkyCity can rebuild trust with regulators and the public while fostering a culture of accountability and transparency within the organization.