The Victorian Government has announced the appointment of Christopher O’Neill as new Chairperson of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), replacing the outgoing chair Fran Thorn.
Already a Commissioner with the VGCCC since 2022, the government said O’Neill brings a “wealth of knowledge and experience to the role”, having previously served with Victoria Police for 45 years. He was Acting Deputy Commissioner in 2016, including in the Regional Operations, Capability and Specialist Operations portfolios.
The government noted that O’Neill has been recognized with several honors throughout his career, including the Australian Police Medal, National Police Service Medal, National Emergency Medal, National Medal and Victoria Police Service Medal.
Annette Kimmitt has stepped down as CEO of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) after nearly three years at the helm of the gaming regulator.
Thorn is departing after almost three years in the job, having taken on the role from 1 January 2022 and overseen a raft of regulatory actions – the most significant being the decision to find Crown Resorts suitable again to hold the state’s monopoly casino license.
VGCCC CEO Annette Kimmitt is also on the way out, revealing this week that she wants to spend more time with family.
Reinventing Victorian gambling
The Victorian Government founded the VGCCC in 2022 following the Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence The commission’s findings revealed significant failures in the regulation of Crown Resorts, including money laundering and the facilitation of gambling by excluded persons. These revelations led to a broader call for reform in Victoria’s gambling oversight framework.
The establishment of the VGCCC as a dedicated regulator aimed to address these gaps, with a specialised focus on ensuring ethical and lawful conduct within the state’s gambling industry. Unlike its predecessor, the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR), the VGCCC operates with a singular focus on gambling.
This structural shift allows the commission to address industry-specific challenges more effectively and implement targeted measures to reduce gambling-related harm.
