The Victorian government has named Christopher O’Neill as chairperson of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).
O’Neill has been working with the regulator since 2022, when he was appointed commissioner of the VGCCC. He will replace inaugural chair Fran Thorn who was appointed to the position on 1 January 2022.
O’Neill spent the majority of his career with the Victoria Police, where he held a number of roles culminating in the position of acting deputy commissioner in 2016.
“I congratulate Mr O’Neill on his appointment as Chairperson of the VGCCC, his background with the Commission and Victoria Police will bring vital expertise to the position,” said Melissa Horne, Victoria’s minister for casino, gaming and liquor regulation. “The gambling regulator has been significantly strengthened since it was re-established in 2022 and Mr O’Neill’s appointment will ensure continuity and the embedding of these important changes.”
“I thank Fran Thorn for her outstanding service to the Commission, and her dedication to reducing gambling harm and improving the integrity of the Victorian gambling sector,” Horne added.
O’Neill’s appointment follows the news that VGCCC chief executive Annette Kimmitt has decided to retire.
Speaking to Guardian Australia, Kimmitt said: “I have got my first grand-daughter due in January, my mother is ageing and needs a bit more help. It is just that time of life where I’m deciding to step away from full-time executive work.
“I am really proud of what the organisation has done in three short years. We are now recognised as the nation’s strongest gambling regulator. We have really held the industry to account. Since January 2022, we have levied nearly $260 million in fines. We had 88 disciplinary actions against the industry just last year.”