WA Royal Commission’s First Hearing Finds Gaming Watchdog Members Lack Expertise in Casino Regulation

WA Royal Commission’s First Hearing Finds Gaming Watchdog Members Lack Expertise in Casino Regulation

Western Australia’s recently-appointed Royal Commission into the operations of Crown Resorts’ casino in Perth has heard that members of the local gambling regulator are not experienced enough in casino regulation. The probe into Crown Perth has already started and is currently aimed at examining whether the gambling legislation framework of the state is fit for its purpose. The probe is also checking whether the Australian gambling giant is fit to keep its casino licence for the Crown Perth casino. The inquiry in Western Australia has started after a probe into…

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Australian Gambling Companies Dispute Proposed Measure Seeking to Ban Credit Card Use for Online Gambling Transactions

Australian Gambling Companies Dispute Proposed Measure Seeking to Ban Credit Card Use for Online Gambling Transactions

A proposed measure seeking to suspend Australian people from using their credit cards for online gambling transactions has faced opposition by some companies that generate profit from gamblers going into debt. The gambling peak body of Australia has revealed it was against a proposed piece of legislation under which local gambling operators would be prevented from accepting credit card payments for online betting transactions. The bill was unveiled by Stirling Griff, a Centre Alliance Senator. It follows a similar measure being adopted in the UK, under which the acceptance, facilitation…

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Forest Green Rovers Expresses Disapproval of Gambling Sponsorships

Forest Green Rovers Expresses Disapproval of Gambling Sponsorships

Discussions on banning gambling sponsorships are a part of the ongoing review of the 2005 Gambling Act. Forest Green Rovers is the first professional English football club to join this campaign and advocate for the end of promotional deals that advertise gambling in football. Forest Green Rovers, which has never agreed on a gambling sponsorship, has teamed with the Gambling with Lives charity in the Big Step campaign, striving to ban sponsorships and other promotions of gambling activities in professional football. Gambling with Lives is a charity organisation that was…

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Gambling in Australia Faces Effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic in Terms of Consumer Behaviour and Products Diversification

Gambling in Australia Faces Effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic in Terms of Consumer Behaviour and Products Diversification

The coronavirus pandemic outbreaks had most of the public activities ceased all over the world, including in Australia, as the authorities implemented rules about social distancing measures, curfews and lockdowns. The aforementioned measures affected all spheres of the economy, including the gambling industry, especially the brick-and-mortar gambling services. After the social distancing and lockdown measures were imposed, it became impossible for Australian people to visit casinos. The Covid-19 pandemic brought some bigger changes in the sector, highlighting some new trends associated with online gambling and customer behaviour. Casino gamblers in…

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British Bookmakers to Possibly Avoid Harsh Affordability Checks

British Bookmakers to Possibly Avoid Harsh Affordability Checks

Some of the most rigorous checks in the betting sector of the UK are about to be avoided as government officials are planning to do a general review of the gambling laws instead of stringent affordability checks. According to people involved in the Gambling Act review process, the UK Gambling Commission will not be able to require bettors to provide payslips before they are eligible to bet online. As reported by The Telegraph, any findings from the review of the 2005 Gambling Act will be considered by the House of…

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Calls for Sports Betting Advertising Ban Fuelled by Increased Online Gambling Participation Rates in Australia during Covid-19 Lockdown

Calls for Sports Betting Advertising Ban Fuelled by Increased Online Gambling Participation Rates in Australia during Covid-19 Lockdown

The gambling industry in Australia has experienced some financial hurdles in 2020 following the coronavirus outbreak. At the same time, overseas gambling operators have managed to generate billions of dollars last year, taking advantage of the considerable increase in online gambling participation rates. Unfortunately for them, they are now facing the possibility of becoming the subject of sports betting advertising ban in the country. For some time now, anti-gambling campaigners have been warning about an increase in online gambling saying that was a reason good enough for a ban on…

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UK Gambling Companies Make GambleAware Contributions That Are Merely Not Enough, Campaigners Claim

UK Gambling Companies Make GambleAware Contributions That Are Merely Not Enough, Campaigners Claim

According to the latest data, there was an increase in the contributions made by the biggest UK gambling operators to charity organisations and causes but they have still been far from enough. Gambling companies that are currently involved in multi-million football shirt sponsorship agreements have faced criticism for making extremely small contributions to the biggest industry-funded problem gambling charity, GambleAware. In mid-April, GambleAware, which gets its funding from online casino and sports betting operators, published its annual list of donors, providing some details on the contributions being made individually by…

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Labor and Liberal Parties Will Not Back Proposed Poker Machines’ Bet Limit and Spin Rates Changes

Labor and Liberal Parties Will Not Back Proposed Poker Machines’ Bet Limit and Spin Rates Changes

Neither the Labor nor the Liberal Party is ready to back the proposed slow-down of poker machines’ spin rates or reducing their maximum bets as part of measures aimed at minimising gambling-related harm when the piece of legislation seeking gambling reform is presented to the country’s Parliament later in 2021. The two major Australian parties have predicted improving harm minimisation as part of the above-mentioned reforms with an increase in the Community Support Levy. Half of the levy is provided for gambling research, gambling support services and community education, while…

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Major Aussie Bank Launches App Functionality that Blocks Gambling Transactions

Major Aussie Bank Launches App Functionality that Blocks Gambling Transactions

One of the largest banks in Australia, Westpac, has launched a new tech solution that hinders compulsive gamblers from making payments to online betting sites. The feature enables Westpac customers who cannot control their gambling spending to block financial transactions to gambling-related websites. The Aussie bank introduced the new feature in an attempt to help curb the spread of compulsive gambling over the internet. Westpac has integrated the new functionality both within its mobile app and its desktop banking platform. The feature prevents customers from initiating payments to online gambling…

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Singaporean Gambler Will Have to Appear in Australian Court over AU$43-Million Debt to The Star Entertainment

Singaporean Gambler Will Have to Appear in Australian Court over AU$43-Million Debt to The Star Entertainment

The VIP casino patron, who got the Singaporean court’s favour not to pay his baccarat debt of AU$43 million to a gambling venue in Australia, will now have to explain the reasons for his unwillingness to appear before an Australian court to finally sort the matter out. As Casino Guardian reported at the beginning of the month, a Brisbane judge has overruled the bid of Dr Wong Yew Choy to set aside the legal action started by The Star Entertainment against him. The Brisbane-based casino operator is seeking to finally…

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