A study commissioned by the Australian government says the best way to protect the country’s online gamblers is to regulate online gambling.
Acting on recommendations contained in the newly published “Review of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001,” Senator Stephen Conroy, minister of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, is drafting a federal plan to “provide a consistent approach to online gambling regulation across all Australian states and territories”. This will include rules governing credit, limits on inducements offered by operators and the mandatory imposition of self-imposed loss limits.
Pending agreement by state governments a framework will be adopted requiring operators to “cease offering higher risk types of online gambling,” such as online slot machines, and “only offer online gambling services that are of a relatively lower risk” such as tournament poker”.
If regulation goes forward it will be accompanied by more stringent enforcement measures against unlicensed operators. A blacklist of such operators will be compiled and circulated to ISPs and financial institutions.
The Interactive Gambling Act prohibits most forms of Internet wagering, including poker, but allows sports betting and lotteries.
