Crown Resorts has announced a A$13 million (US$8.6 million) gambling harm prevention package after facing three inquiries and fines amounting to A$700 million in the last couple of years. The programme named Crown PlaySafe will include several measures to reduce incidences of problem gambling.

One of the major initiatives include allowing people with problem gambling to prevent themselves from accessing Crown properties by registering themselves on a digital self exclusion portal. The measure to self-exclude has already been in place, however, the service has only been available offline so far. Therefore, it is expected that the ease of self exclusion registration will enable more problem gamblers to get onboard.

Moreover, as part of the Crown PlaySafe programme, the casino conglomerate will establish a team to monitor actions of customers and look for cues to prevent gambling harm. Some of the other measures include mandatory carded-play and pre-commitment systems, marketing controls, guest education and investment in research and data monitoring to evaluate gambling prevention concepts.

Crown Resorts will also set up advisory panels which will work in collaboration with state regulators and community groups to address the issue through awareness programmes and knowledge sharing.

“I have been in this business for 34 years and I can tell you – no one does this. It is critically important to me that when I look at the long-term viability of this business people see our resorts as entertainment to enjoy safely,” said Crown Resorts CEO Ciarán Carruthers as quoted by Yogonet.

“We know that we can do more to maximize player safety, which is why Crown is scaling up all efforts to introduce these world-leading initiatives that help to educate and support guests to play in a positive and safe way,” added Carruthers.

When it comes to what measures or restrictions that are going to be imposed on some of its properties, mandatory carded-play and pre-commitment systems will be introduced at Crown Melbourne. On the other hand, Crown Sydney will have restrictions in the form of cashless gaming on electronic cashless table games, and Crown Perth will see A$10 maximum bet limits on electronic gaming machines.