Government crackdown on online betting
The Federal government has introduced federal legislation closing loopholes in the Interactive Gambling Act.
The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill bans online in-play betting and shuts out illegal foreign bookmakers.
The bill states clearly that only people or companies who hold a licence in Australia can offer products to Australians.
Backed by fines of up to $1.35 million per day for individuals and $6.75 million for companies, the legislation aims to close the in-play betting loophole that has seen corporate bookies earning millions of dollars.
The bill is designed to stop Australians betting with unlicensed offshore gambling sites.
The crackdown will also see the introduction of a national consumer protection system to end credit betting and establish nationwide self-exclusion programs.
Human Services Minister Alan Tudge said the legislation had been introduced to protect punters.
‘“We are doing what we said we would do: ensuring the original intent of the law is being upheld,’’ Mr Trudge toldThe Australian.
“This protects against high-frequency betting, which experts say leads to problem gambling.”
The legislation comes in the wake of intense lobbying by country’s major tote bookmakers Tabcorp and Tatts, backed by pubs and clubs and the racing industry.
They have been leading the charge to tighten the conditions.
And then there are the main foreign-owned corporate bookmakers: William Hill, Ladbrokes, Bet365 and Sportsbet.
There has been a lot of controversy around live betting online with William Hill, Ladbrokes, Bet365 and other online bookies deploying “click-to-call” betting systems that circumvented the Interactive Gambling Act’s clauses restricting live betting to telephone only.
It’s a system using voice-over-internet protocol and other technology allowing bets to be placed with a click of a button. All the punter has to do is make an emulated “phone call” in the background to satisfy the act.
The bill prohibits "click to call" in-play betting.
It also gives new powers to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, enabling it to enforce new civil penalties and be responsible for the entire complaint handling process.
November 15th 2016
