Today, the Victorian Government has released a range of measures that will be in place to reduce risks associated with Internet gambling and prevent pathological gamblers from spending their money on this activity. The announcement is made following emerging trends revealing that those engaging in the vice have immensely risen due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Daniel Andrews, Premier with Minister for Gaming and Liquor Regulation Melissa Horne, detailed the new measures in a press briefing at Parliament House earlier today. Andrews said: The availability of internet gambling sites has given rise to new forms of risks that our current legislation could not address before. ‘These new measures will allow Victorians to engage in online betting in a safer way while at the same time, offering a measure of protection to those who are vulnerable to harm’.
An integral part of the government strategy for dealing with the problem of online gambling is to make the pre-commitment limit obligatory for all Internet gambling accounts that have been registered in Victoria. Players will need to be able to design maximum loss thresholds before they can stake, these limits are to be ubiquitous to all betting sites under the licence. They wanted this measure to ensure people retain personal control of the money they spend on gambling and not indulge in free betting sprees.
Also, as part of the package, a single selfexclusion register that is aimed at enabling people barred from participating in online gambling to do so with all Webbased firms at one application will be created. This move solves a growing pain point that has existed in the past where those who seek help for pathological gambling can easily bypass individual site or software ban simply by transferring to another casino.
The government has also threatened to tighten the laws on advertising on online gambling operators. New regulations will ban gambling ads during live sports events and will also create a complete ban on the promotion of bonus bet offers and other incentives for gambling. It did not take long for people to understand that aggressive advertising leads to vulnerable individuals and excessive gambling, the Minister stated. “These restrictions will assist in helping a more healthy media environment within the people of Victoria.”
In order to fund these activities, the government has budgeted $45 million over four years to increase funding for gambling support services with a focus on online and phone counselling services. This funding has likely meant a huge boost to the functions of helplines and treatment programs for individuals who have developed gambling problems.
The above announcement has raised some mixed feelings from different parties. Most anti-gambling lobbyists have applauded the measures, but some have criticized them for not being stringent enough. Dr. Although Monash University gambling researcher Charles Livingston applauded the pre-commitment system, he said the measures should be even tougher. ‘While this is a positive move, we would like to see lower maximum limits and more regular occasions for the users to receive a reminder to review their gambling activity,’ Livingstone said.
Online gambling industry lobby group Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) has welcomed proposed restrictions to $5 bets while noting potential secondary effects. RWA chief executive Brent Jackson said: “While we are willing to liaise with the government on the execution of these changes, there is concern that overly prescriptive measures may push consumers to unregulated offshore betting sites with no consumer protections whatsoever.
State opposition leader Matthew Guy ridiculed the timing of the announcement, claiming that the government is using it to distract people from the other problems happening in the state. However, he said that the Liberal Party would probably support the main parts of the package as they noted a bicameral nature of gambling reform.
These new measures are expected to be rolled out in phases across the next 18 months; however, the pre-commitment system is planned to be up and running by July 2025, and compulsory. The government has vowed to involve as many stakeholders, health professionals and communities as possible to fine tune procedures on how it will be put into practise.
While Victoria takes charge on the reforms for online gambling, other states are also observing keenly. Some signals have been shown that New South Wales and Queensland may follows the same example, which means that online betting regulation may be implemented on the national level.
Such a decision by the Victorian Government breaks a new tendency to regulate Internet gambling in Australia. As the introduction of new technologies proceeds, it also remains the duty of the policymakers to admit consumers freedom while safeguarding them from fraudsters. If these measures have delivered success or failure in Victoria it may well determining the future of gambling regulation in Australia.
