My mother’s despair when she discovered her son, 16, was gambling tens of thousands of dollars in local pubs, forcing her to cash in her super money and remortgage her house to cover his debts

When a Melbourne mother discovered her 16-year-old son was gambling tens of thousands of dollars, she embarked on a frantic mission to ask him for help, only to be repeatedly rebuffed.

In April last year she contacted more than 30 individuals and organisations, including gambling helplines, private psychologists, hospital rehabilitation programmes, politician Ged Kearney and activist Tim Costello.

But due to his age and his unwillingness to stop gambling, no one could offer her help, apart from suggesting that she not give him access to money and that she would take care of herself.

She even looked into private rehabilitation, but was put off by the $30,000 cost.

The woman has already had to cash out her pension, remortgage her previously paid-off house and do extra work to cover her son’s gambling debts, which amounted to more than $95,000.

Multiple gambling venues in Melbourne’s northern suburbs have been accused by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission – alerted by the mother – of allowing the 16-year-old to place bets at their venues and failing to supervise on electronic gaming machines.

The boy had also accessed online gambling platforms.

The Preston Hotel was fined $15,000 on Thursday for allowing the teen to gamble $2,500 on half a dozen occasions in May and September 2022.

Magistrate Carolyn Howe said the onus was on the venue operator to protect children and noted the mother’s enormous efforts to seek help.

“It must have been the most frustrating day of her life – the number of people she contacted and asked for help but got nowhere – absolutely nowhere,” she said.

A lawyer representing the Preston Hotel and its operator Ben Niall noted that the boy had spent less than two or five minutes at a time placing $2,500 in bets – ranging between $100 and $760 – at the hotel.

The boy visited the Preston Hotel and spent less than two to five minutes at a time placing $2,500 in bets – ranging between $100 and $760 (stock image)

It was a small amount compared to the rest of his gambling activities at other locations, he said.

But Ms Howe said allowing a minor to gamble any amount of money at any venue enabled his addiction.

Speaking in court after the sentencing, Mr Niall said no one wanted this young man or others to gamble.

“We can make a profit without having to prey on children,” he said, noting he was shocked this had happened at his location.

For a time, Tabcorp required venues in the northern suburbs to operate cashless, with bets placed using vouchers purchased from staff members in a bid to combat underage gambling.

The requirement cost venues revenue and has now been lifted, but Niall has kept it in place.

Ms Howe said the steps he had taken and his previous compliance history allowed the Preston Hotel to avoid a conviction.

The hotel was also ordered to pay $10,3000 to cover prosecution costs in addition to the $15,000 fine.