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Article

10 Aug 2018

Author:
Nick O'Malley, The Sydney Morning Herald

Australia: Investigation confirms that staff at venues run by Woolworths' subsidiary, ALH, collected personal data on gamblers, dispensed free drinks to encourage longer gambling sessions

6 August 2019

An internal investigation conducted by Woolworths has confirmed allegations that staff in 22 of its pubs in three states collected personal information on high turnover pokies players and shared the data among its pubs to enable staff to encourage them to increase their losses.

...Bruce Mathieson jnr, the chief executive of ALH Group, which is majority owned by Woolworths, confirmed that staff had been sacked as a result of the investigation....

...Woolworths announced an internal review of the operations of its pubs, which it owns through its majority shareholding of subsidiary ALH Group.

...Woolworths chief executive Gordon Cairns said the matter was of the "highest concern" for the board of directors.

"I am determined as the chairman of Woolworths, as is the board, that we will get to the bottom of this," he said.

...In a statement, ALH Group said it would introduce a nationwide policy banning free drinks for gamblers in its pubs, improve staff training and promote voluntary pre-commitment programs.

 

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