A former gambling regulator who was appointed with no prior experience has given testy testimony at a Crown royal commission.
A former regulator overseeing Crown’s Perth operations has given testy testimony at the royal commission, accusing counsel assisting of “coming across too heavy” when asked if it would have been better if the body had done more to protect gamblers from harm.
The probe is the third faced by the company over its money laundering scandal, the first being last year’s lengthy NSW inquiry, which left Crown without a gaming licence for its new Sydney venue.
A key focus of the Perth investigation is the efficacy of oversight by Western Australia’s Gaming and Wagering Commission, and on Tuesday the inquiry heard from former board member Trevor Fisher, who worked there between 2012 and 2017 but brought no prior experience with regulating gambling.
Counsel assisting Kala Campbell asked his views on the harms caused by problem gambling.
“I haven’t had a personal effect from any friends or family, but I’ve just seen what it can do to outside families in the way of broken homes and abuse and down that line,” Mr Fisher said.
He said he was generally aware harm minimisation duties were part of the role of the GWC – and while it was a required task under the relevant act, that had not been pointed out to him.
Mr Fisher agreed harm minimisation was important, aiming to avoid “banks foreclosing, losing homes, broken homes, kids on the street”.
“Seeing these sections of the GWC Act now, Mr Fisher, do you think it would have been better for those to have been brought to your attention when you started with the GWC?” Ms Campbell asked.
He replied: “Undoubtedly.”
Mr Fisher also agreed it would have been better if the regulator had relied on more up-to-date data about problem gambling.
But he also agreed one of the reasons he believed it wasn’t a big issue in WA was a 1999 Productivity Commission report showing there was not a high prevalence of problem gambling in the state.
The other key reason was: “We’ve only got (gaming) machines here at Burswood – they’re not scattered all over the country like the east coast.”
“You’re coming across to me to say that gambling is a huge, huge, huge problem,” Mr Fisher said.
“I don’t know if it is a huge, huge, huge problem … I think you’re coming across too heavy.”
Ms Campbell replied: “OK, so do you think the GWC did enough?”
“Yes,” Mr Fisher responded.
Gambling is restricted in WA, with Crown the only casino, pokie machines prohibited elsewhere and cruise ships only allowed to operate on-board gaming when they are more than 12 nautical miles off the coast.
The royal commission was told that the number of electronic gaming machines at Crown Perth had jumped from 200 in 1985 to 2500 by 2012.
“Because there’s more machines doesn’t mean there’s more gamblers,” Mr Fisher said.
The findings of a now-complete, separate royal commission in Victoria are expected by October 15, and commissioner Ray Finkelstein has indicated he’s prepared to strip the company of its Melbourne licence if deemed necessary.
Findings from the Perth probe will be handed down next year.
Originally published as ‘You’re coming across too heavy’: Former Crown regulator attempts to hose down problem gambling concerns
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