Crown Resorts will introduce mandatory carded play on all electronic gaming machines (EGM) at its Crown Perth casino from 1 December.
Fulfilling a key recommendation from the 2021 Perth Casino Royal Commission, the rollout requires all EGM players to use a membership card that include time and loss limits.
The cards will cap gameplay at 12 hours in a day and 28 hours in a week and will force compulsory breaks in gameplay every 3 hours.
Players will be able to change their own limits within the caps, but any increase to limits will only take effect after a seven-day cooling-off period.
Crown said that the process to upgrade all EGMs to carded-only play is well underway, with more than half of all machines set to be upgraded to the technology by the end of this month.
Crown Perth CEO Brian Pereira said: “Carded Play is a cornerstone of our commitment to safer gambling – it allows us to better understand and support our guests while fostering a safer environment. Carded play empowers guests with more information about their playing habits, promotes informed choices and allows earlier intervention if someone needs help.”
Western Australia Racing and Gaming Minister Paul Papalia commented: “The new carded play system will provide an additional safeguard for people at risk of gambling harm. Limits on gaming time and spending will help complement WA’s robust gambling rules. This is another key Perth Casino Royal Commission reform delivered, with most recommendations now complete or close to it.”
Gary Dreibergs, chair of the state’s Gaming and Wagering Commission (GWC), added: “The introduction of carded play for EGMs at the Crown Perth Casino is just one of many reforms that have been put in place to help achieve the Gaming and Wagering Commission’s objective of minimising gambling harm within the WA community.
“The Commission has provided directions to the casino requiring them to implement a range of initiatives to protect casino patrons. These include maximum bet limits, restricted play periods, setting of mandatory loss limits, provision of player activity statements and mandatory carded play on EGMs, which enables the casino to monitor for signs of gambling harm.
“The GWC remains vigilant in monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of these initiatives and will continue to hold the Perth Casino licensee to the highest standards of integrity and accountability in all of its operations.”
Mandatory card play has already been rolled out at Crown’s Sydney venue and The Star Sydney.