Intro
To the Hon Minister Reece Whitby MLA
Minister for Environment; Climate Action; Racing and Gaming
In accordance with section 63 of the Financial Management Act 2006, I hereby submit for your information and presentation to Parliament, the Annual Report of the Gaming and Wagering Commission of Western Australia for the reporting period ended 30 June 2023.
The annual report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Management Act 2006.
The financial statements comply with Australian Accounting Standards — Simplified Disclosures issued by the Australian Accounting Standards Board
Ms Katie Hodson-ThomasDeputy ChairpersonGaming and Wagering Commission29 September 2023
Kaya
2022-23 marked another year of significant change for the Gaming and Wagering Commission of Western Australia, both within the agency and in the broader gaming regulatory environment.
A number of significant legislative reforms were enacted. The Casino Legislation Amendment (Burswood Casino) Act 2022 was passed by Parliament in late September 2022. It amended the Gaming and Wagering Commission Act 1987 and the Casino Control Act 1984, and was the first legislative step towards addressing the issues raised by the Perth Casino Royal Commission (PCRC). These legislative amendments expanded the commission’s powers, so as to enable it to direct the casino licensee with respect to all operations of the casino, not just the gaming operations.
Amendments to the Casino Control Act 1984 provided for the establishment of an Independent Monitor as an office appointed by, and reporting to, the Minister for Racing and Gaming. This provides an independent mechanism to oversee remediation at Perth casino over a 2-year period and is intended to help restore public confidence in casino gaming in Western Australia. The commission regularly meets with and works co-operatively with the Independent Monitor.
The membership of the commission also changed during the year. The legislative amendments mentioned above provided for the appointment of an independent chairperson of the commission, which was a recommendation of the PCRC. The Minister for Racing and Gaming, Hon Reece Whitby, appointed an existing commission member, Dr Michael Schaper as the Chairperson of the Commission, from 20 February 2023, so replacing Ms Lanie Chopping, Director General of Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) who had previously held the position ex officio.
In addition, the legislation also made provision for a deputy chairperson to be selected from the membership of the commission and Ms Katie Hodson-Thomas was elected from 21 February 2023. At the start of the 2022-23 year the composition of the commission also changed with 2 new members, Ms Helen Creed and Mr Sam Buckeridge, joining the commission. Members bring a broad range of expertise to the commission in the areas of leadership and governance, regulation, finance, industry experience and government processes.
A major new focus of the commission is the minimisation of gambling harm to individuals and the Western Australian community. Engagement with our stakeholders will be key to understanding the expectations of the community. It is the commission’s intent to build relationships and work in close collaboration with these organisations over the coming years.
Work has also been undertaken in regards to implementation of the PCRC’s recommendations and in particular relating to electronic gaming machines (EGMs) at the Perth casino. The commission issued a direction on the casino licensee in March 2023 requiring a $10 maximum bet on EGMs on the main gaming floor by 1 July 2023. This will contribute towards harm minimisation, and responsible service of gaming at Perth casino.
During the year the commission continued its important work of regulating gaming and wagering in Western Australia. The commission with the support of the staff of the DLGSC issued more than 1900 community gaming permits and certificates, administered more than 2000 casino employee licences, as well as overseeing more than 7000 audits and investigations across the State.
The commission continued to also focus on governance with the approval of its Strategic Plan 2023, Code of Conduct policy with guidelines, charter, skills matrix, and membership to the DLGSC’s Audit and Risk Committee.
Looking forward, a review of the structure of the commission is currently being undertaken as part of the organisational design review of both the commission and the racing, gaming and liquor directorate of DLGSC. This will determine a future structure to best meet our regulatory responsibilities.
On behalf of the commission, we would like to thank Ms Lanie Chopping, the ex officio chairperson for her contribution and commitment towards rebuilding the commission post the Royal Commission, and the staff of DLGSC who supported the commission throughout the year.
Dr Michael SchaperChairpersonGaming and Wagering Commission29 September 2023