Author: Daniel Williams

During the past year, the Australian Government has been in a tight spot with expectations to respond to a parliamentary committee inquiry into a total gambling advertising ban. According to health experts, legislators must act firmly and not hesitate to impose a comprehensive prohibition, as public health and well-being must be prioritised over media revenue. Australian online media outlet InSight+ talked to Associate Professor Charles Livingstone, Head of the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University. He stated that a partial ban on gambling and betting ads…

BetStop, Australia’s National Self-Exclusion Register celebrated its first anniversary last Wednesday. In connection with this significant milestone, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) reported that more than 28,300 residents have used the gambling self-exclusion service thus far. The government initiative, introduced by the ACMA, is completely safe and free of charge, enabling consumers to voluntarily block themselves from all legitimate online and mobile providers of gambling services in a few easy steps. They can do so for a period lasting from a minimum of three months to a lifetime.…

August 29th marked the official opening of the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane (QWB) destination, which also houses the newest casino establishment of The Star Entertainment Group. The Star Brisbane was supposed to open last year, but regulatory struggles resulted in a delay of 12 months. As reported by the North West Star, operations will now proceed under the supervision of Queensland’s gambling regulator, and the company will continue its remediation efforts. The Star was fined AU$140,000 in 2023 after the regulators of Queensland identified significant failings regarding the company’s policies surrounding…

The first tests that should determine the viability of financial risk checks are set to begin on August 30th. On Tuesday, the Gambling Commission’s Director of Major Policy Projects and Evaluation, Helen Rhodes, gave an update on the trials in an official blog post, providing further insight into how the tests will be conducted and what their goals are. Ms Rhodes explained that the pilot will last between 6 and 7 months and will involve the usage of real data. Assessments will be conducted in several stages, and each participating…

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced on August 26th that Network Ten’s online streaming service, 10 Play, has been issued a warning for failing to adhere to Australia’s gambling advertising regulations. Current laws mandate that online streaming services not air gambling ads during live sports events from 5am to 8.30pm. Moreover, no such adverts can be shown five minutes before or after a game. It appears that 10 Play breached the said rules by showing gambling ads to the viewers of two games that were streamed during the…

Individuals who use the services of Allied Irish Banks (AIB) now have the option to request that the financial institution block their gambling-related transactions. As reported by broadcasting company Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTE), the new feature will be applicable to both credit and debit cards, regardless of whether a given card is classified as a personal or business card. Additionally, AIB Group’s EBS will also offer the same feature to its clients. According to the AIB, problem gambling may manifest in overdue bills, the attempt to use gambling as a…

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) announced on Friday that Tabcorp has been handed a hefty fine for breaching Victoria’s responsible gambling regulations. The fine stands at AU$4.6 million, and according to Commission Chair Fran Thorn, it reflects the severity of Tabcorp’s misconduct. She further stressed that the issues were systemic and resulted in one client being exposed to significant gambling harm. Licensees’ Obligations in Victoria In Victoria, each gambling company that wishes to acquire a licence to operate in the state must provide the VGCCC with a…

The annual Treatment and Support Survey commissioned by the charity GambleAware and conducted by YouGov has found that as many as 1.65 million children across Great Britain live with family members who are struggling with gambling harm. These children, in contrast to under-18s who reside in households not impacted by problematic wagering, are four times more likely to become victims of problem gambling themselves. The Figures More than 18,000 individuals took part in the survey, and nearly 20% of participants told researchers they used to be affected others when they…

Liquor & Gaming New South Wales announced on Tuesday that Playup Interactive, a fantasy sports betting operator, has been handed a fine of over AU$580,000 in Downing Centre Local Court for offering illegal bonuses to consumers. In New South Wales, wagering companies are prohibited from advertising promotional offers to individuals who do not have betting accounts, especially when the bonuses are advertised in an effort to convince them to open an account. Promotions encouraging an existing client to keep an existing wagering account open are considered illegal as well, as…

This August remains a difficult month for the Albanese Government as criticism surrounding its approach toward tackling gambling ads continues to dominate across media and social networks. Many oppose Labour’s plans to implement a partial ban on the promotion of gambling, but those in favour of balanced measures have argued that free-to-air media will suffer if the government pulls the plug on its gambling ad revenue and bans betting advertising outright. The Australia Institute has proposed a solution to this issue in the form of a 2% levy on gambling…