Gambling participation and harm on the rise in Australia, new study reveals

Every jurisdiction has work to do in preventing gambling harm, and reform will be easier and more effective if jurisdictions coordinate their efforts. But that shouldn’t mean delaying state-based reform efforts, or waiting for laggards. If some jurisdictions fail to step up, others should push ahead without them.

Stand up to the vested interests

Online casinos have become a popular form of entertainment worldwide, but in Australia, their legality is heavily restricted under stringent gambling laws designed to minimise harm and regulate online gambling activities. BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register™ is a safe and free Australian Government initiative to block yourself from all licensed Australian online and phone gambling providers. Recent Royal Commissions, reviews of Australian casinos, and the NSW Crime Commission’s inquiry into money laundering through pokies have collectively sparked outrage around the country. A universal system may need to be administered by a national agency (as it is in Germany and Norway) to keep track of people’s nominated limits and spending across providers. NSW has a particularly big job, with a lot more gaming machines than any other state (see Figure 3.3), and the majority requiring an upgrade or retrofit to enable limit setting.

• Under section 15 of the Act it is an offence for a person to intentionally provide a prohibited interactive gambling service with an Australian-customer link.
• The proliferation of pokies is a problem that state governments should chip away at over time, at the very least to avoid making things worse.
• All state and territory unlawful gambling schemes include criminal penalties for non-compliance.
• Buyback costs could be substantial if lots of machines are non-compliant and venues opt to surrender their licences.

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ACMA has the power to block illegal offshore gambling websites, impose civil penalties, and notify border protection agencies to disrupt the activities of offending operators. It also collaborates with international regulators to combat illegal gambling operations. Policy makers should be guided by data in choosing the regulated upper limits, and be prepared to withstand industry attempts to loosen the seatbelt by lobbying for higher limits. But estimates of their community benefits are highly inflated, and their most valuable contributions don’t rely on pokies profits.

The industry has a track record of thwarting reforms, including by stoking community fears about unintended consequences. The federal government has responsibility for online gambling but is yet to step up and really own this role. But people still cannot consistently self-exclude from all forms of gambling. This blog examines the legality of online casinos in Australia including https://www.offroadconcepts.com.au/forum/which-bag-fits-you-best/top-strategies-for-winning-at-australian-online-casinos the federal prohibition on online interactive gambling services, state and territory approved exceptions and the legality of overseas based online casino operators.

Many past attempts to strengthen consumer protections for gambling have been thwarted by vested interests, so gambling reform is now considered very politically risky. Showed how effective the gambling industry is in influencing Australian politics, punching well above its weight. Organised attempts to influence policy can create windfall gains for a few, at the expense of the many. Chapter 3 outlines a roadmap to prevent gambling harm, by reducing people’s exposure and rolling out tools that will make gambling safer.

Gambling licences are a privilege granted by governments – they are not a right – and they do not override government responsibility to legislate in the best interests of the Australian people. Pre-commitment with maximum loss limits would prevent things getting out of hand. Once a national pre-commitment system for online gambling is well established, it may be possible to extend the system to cover other forms of gambling too.