Intro
The Commission’s work is guided by a clear purpose: to ensure that all gambling activities in our state are conducted lawfully, ethically, and in a manner that protects the community. In 2024–25, we have made strides in advancing this mission through strategic reform, enhanced oversight, and collaborative engagement with stakeholders across government and industry.
These reforms have modernised our regulatory tools, and increased penalties for non-compliance, which ensures that our regulatory responses are proportionate, transparent, and effective.
This year saw the implementation of the second tranche of legislative reforms under the Gambling Legislation Amendment Act 2024 (GLA Act), which enhanced the Commission’s compliance and enforcement powers.
Work on the third tranche of reforms, which will establish a contemporary, best-practice legislative framework for all gambling activities in WA, has also commenced. This includes addressing emerging gaming and currency technologies, harm minimisation measures, protection of minors, and streamlining processes for low-risk community gaming.
Our Compliance and Enforcement Policy, endorsed in January 2025, reaffirmed our commitment to intelligence-led, risk-based regulation. We also finalised our Strategic Risk Register, enabling us to proactively manage risks and align our efforts with community expectations.
In October 2022, the Independent Monitor was established to oversee the remediation journey of the casino licensee, Burswood Nominees Ltd also known as Crown Perth, following the Perth Casino Royal Commission (PCRC).
The Independent Monitor’s final report was provided in January 2025. Following completion of the report, the Commission was required to consider whether any actions under s.21B of the Casino Control Act 1984 (CC Act) needed to be exercised and to report to the Minister.
To enable the Commission to report to the Minister, the Commission completed its own independent suitability assessment of the Perth casino licensee. These considerations were based on, but not limited to, the findings of the Independent Monitor.
Following the suitability assessment by the Commission, the overall view on Crown Perth’s path to suitability was that the organisation had made substantial progress in implementing its remediation plan, establishing the foundations for a culture of accountability with a focus on managing risks and complying with its obligations.
For the reasons contained in the suitability report, and insofar as Crown Perth maintains their current operating standards, the Commission recommended to the Minister that:
The Commission also found that there remained a need to maintain watchful scrutiny and monitoring into the ongoing implementation and embedment of Crown Perth’s reforms.
The Commission remains vigilant in monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of these reforms and will continue to hold the licensee to the highest standards of integrity and accountability.
Protecting the community from gambling-related harm remained a core priority. In 2024–25, we continued to support the implementation of the National Consumer Protection Framework (NCPF) for Online Wagering and introduced standardised harm messaging in advertising.
We continue to prioritise engagement with stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, and harm minimisation groups. These partnerships are essential to building a safer and more informed gambling environment.
As we move into 2025–26, the Commission will continue to build on the foundations laid this year. We will focus on finalising legislative reforms, enhancing our regulatory capabilities, and deepening our engagement with stakeholders. Our goal is to create a regulatory environment that is responsive, resilient, and trusted by the community.
I would like to acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of my fellow Commission members, the staff of the Office of the GWC, and our partners at the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (the Department). Their contributions have been instrumental in achieving the outcomes outlined in this report.
Finally, I extend my sincere thanks to the Minister for Racing and Gaming, the Hon. Paul Papalia CSC MLA, for his continued support and leadership.
Gaming and Wagering Commission of Western Australia
To be Australia's best practice regulator.
Working with vigilance to ensure gaming operations in WA are conducted in a socially responsible, lawful and efficient manner.
Conducting ourselves in a professional and appropriate manner, to ensure objectivity and integrity in considering regulatory decisions.
Embracing innovation and technology to develop modern methods and regulatory practices to prevent gambling harm.
Demonstrating accountability through ensuring consistency and transparency in ethical decision making and actions.
Engaging collaboratively to provide leadership in the gaming and wagering environment.
Our role is to uphold a strong and proactive regulatory framework that ensures all gaming and wagering activities in WA are conducted lawfully, ethically, and in strict compliance with legislation. We are committed to protecting the welfare of the community by safeguarding the integrity of gambling, minimising gambling-related harm, preventing criminal activity in the industry, and promoting public awareness of the risks and impacts of gambling. This firm regulatory posture is essential to maintaining public confidence in the industry.
The Commission is established as a statutory authority under section 4 of the Gaming and Wagering Commission Act 1987 (GWC Act).
The Minister responsible for the Racing and Gaming portfolio is the Honourable Paul Papalia CSC MLA. Minister Papalia commenced in this role on 8 December 2023.
The GWC Act establishes the Commission to control and regulate gambling in the industries of gaming and wagering. It provides the regulatory framework enabling permitted gambling.
The Commission’s purpose is to ensure the integrity and fairness of gaming and wagering in WA through independent and contemporary regulatory practice that protects and educates the consumer, considers community benefit, and minimises harms. The duties of the Commission, set out in section 7 of the GWC Act, are to:
Whilst some WA bookmakers have endorsements on their licence to operate on online wagering platforms, online gambling in Australia is currently subject to the requirements of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) (Cth). The Commission and the Department support the implementation of the measures under the NCPF for Online Wagering.
Section 12 of the GWC Act provides that membership of the Commission shall comprise:
During the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, the Commission was constituted by the members below.
Mr Gary Dreibergs APM was appointed as Chairperson of the Commission on 26 March 2024.
Mr Dreibergs is a former Deputy Commissioner of the Western Australia Police Force (WA Police), with four decades of experience in policing and public safety. He has held a range of senior executive roles, including responsibility for frontline and crime operations, major incident response, professional development and strategic command.
Throughout his career, Mr Dreibergs led numerous high-risk and complex policing operations across WA, and played a key role in multi-agency coordination during state emergencies. His operational leadership extended to representing WA in national policing forums, including the Australia New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee, the Australia New Zealand Police Advisory Agency, and the Board of Studies at the Australian Institute of Police Management.
Mr Dreibergs also serves as a Board Member of VenuesWest, the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS), and the WA Police & Community Youth Centres (PCYC).
Mr Dreibergs holds a Master of Business Administration and was appointed an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia in 2011. He was awarded the Australian Police Medal (APM) in 2010 in recognition of his service to policing, and holds the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.
Ms Hodson-Thomas was appointed Deputy chair as of 21 February 2023 after being a Member since 1 January 2018.
Ms Hodson-Thomas currently works as a Director of FTI Consulting and is a registered lobbyist in WA. Ms Hodson-Thomas was a member of the Western Australian Parliament Legislative Assembly for 12 years. Ms Hodson-Thomas possesses strong listening, negotiation and advocacy skills. She was previously a member of the Commission from 2011 to 2012 and is Chairperson of the Road Safety Council. Ms Hodson-Thomas is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mr Murphy has been a Member of the Commission since 28 March 2022. Mr Murphy brings relevant knowledge and experience to the Commission from his role as a Commissioner on the PCRC.
Mr Murphy was WA’s 18th Auditor General. He has extensive experience in State and Commonwealth finance and administration and has held senior leadership positions within the State Government in the Departments of Justice, Treasury and Finance, Land Administration and the Building Management Authority.
He is a Fellow of CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mr Murphy was awarded a Public Service Medal (PSM) in the Australia Day Honours 2010.
Ms Creed has been a Member of the Commission since 4 July 2022.
Ms Creed is a social worker who became a prominent union leader. She has also held a variety of executive and board roles in the government and not-for-profit sectors.
Ms Creed brings considerable experience as the former Executive Director of the Community Legal Centres Association of WA, and has held senior positions with the Western Australian Council of Social Services, Department for Communities, and Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. Ms Creed is the Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the WA Water Corporation, and a sessional staff member at the School of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Western Australia. Ms Creed’s past experience includes the roles of Chairperson of Regional Early Education and Development (REED) Inc (and Member of Governance Committee and Member Audit and Risk Committee), Chairperson of Victoria Park Youth Accommodation, senior sessional member of the State Administrative Tribunal and in 2018, she was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame.
Mr Buckeridge has been a Member of the Commission since 4 July 2022. Mr Buckeridge is the Non-Executive Director of BGC (Australia) Pty Ltd, which is the Perth based parent of a group of companies with diverse activities, including the manufacture of building products, construction materials, home building, commercial building contracting and road freight transport. He has held numerous management roles across BGC in addition to the director role, including responsibility for strategy formulation and execution, operations, human resource management, sales and marketing, investment analysis, information systems and governance with respect to safety, environmental and legal matters. Mr Buckeridge has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Western Australia.
Mr Sarquis was a member from 2 August 2021 until 30 June 2025.
Mr Sarquis brought to the Commission significant expertise and knowledge from his fifteen years in the role as Executive Director of the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulator, Queensland. Mr Sarquis had also been a member of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund Committee, the Responsible Gambling Advisory Committee and is a former vice president of the International Association of Gaming Regulators.
Mr Sarquis’ regulatory knowledge meant that he often applied a technical lens to matters before the Commission for decision making. Mr Sarquis provided his regulatory and technical insights in a manner that expanded the knowledge of all Members, and in an informative way that was critical to developing final decisions. The Commission greatly appreciates Mr Sarquis’ knowledge and expertise, and his significant contribution to the Commission.
Ms O’Donnell was a Member of the Commission between 1 January 2022 and 16 July 2024.
Ms O’Donnell has broad experience in executive roles in the public and not-for-profit sectors. She was State Ombudsman in WA, Ombudsman for the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman scheme, and the inaugural New South Wales Information Commissioner. From 2015 to June 2022, Ms O’Donnell was a Commissioner with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (now the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission).
Ms O’Donnell has qualifications in arts and education, with a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Commercial Law from the University of Melbourne. In 2008 she was awarded the PSM for outstanding public service as the Western Australian State Ombudsman.
The Commission is grateful to Ms O'Donnell for her contribution during the term of her membership.
The Commission regulates gaming and wagering including unlawful gaming under the following legislation:
The function of supporting the administration of legislation is performed by the government department reporting to the Minister for Racing and Gaming, DLGSC. However, through its policy leadership, the Commission continues to shape and influence the legislative and regulatory environment. This includes developing and implementing policies that guide the regulation, oversight, and control of gaming and wagering activities. In doing so, the Commission ensures that regulatory settings reflect community expectations and prioritise the minimisation of harm from gambling.
The Commission, under sections 18 and 19 of the GWC Act, uses the services of the DLGSC to perform its functions. This includes the establishment of the Office of the Gaming and Wagering Commission as well as the provision of staff and resources to deliver policy, compliance, enforcement and licensing activities related to the regulation of community gaming, casino gaming and wagering industries. Support services including financial management, procurement, human resources, and governance are also provided by DLGSC in accordance with these provisions and a Service Level Agreement.
The operations of the Commission are assisted by a Chief Casino Officer and government inspectors appointed in accordance with section 9 of the CC Act and who are necessary to regulate casino gaming in WA.
Government inspectors are also appointed as an authorised officer pursuant to section 21(1) of the GWC Act.
In accordance with section 9(1) of the CC Act, a Chief Casino Officer is appointed, under and subject to Part 3 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994. Table 1 presents officers appointed during the financial year as the Chief Casino Officer.
Table 1: Chief Casino Officers during 2024-25
Broad Government goals are supported by the Commission by specific outcomes, and the Commission administers delivery of these services to achieve these outcomes. The following table illustrates the relationship between the Commission’s services and desired outcomes, and the goals of Government.
Strong and sustainable finances: Responsible, achievable, affordable budget management.
Provision of lawful gambling activities for the benefit of the public of WA.
The Commission’s outcome-based management (OBM) framework did not change during 2024 – 25.
The Commission did not share any responsibilities with other agencies in 2024–25.
1. This activity is conducted as a requirement of Lotterywest maintaining World Lottery Association certification.
2. As part of the WA Government's Public Sector Reform, from 1 July 2025 these functions were transferred from the former Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) to the newly created Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS).