Australia has had no shortage of casino inquiries over the past two years, but the focus now appears to be shifting towards online gaming—the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs recently announced a new investigation into the industry and its impact on Australian bettors.
Committee Chair Peta Murphy MP told Asia Gaming Brief that the new inquiry “will be a fresh look at online gambling and whether current laws, regulations, consumer protections, and education and support programs are enough to reduce harm to gamblers.”
She added that the committee is “concerned about the increasing reach of online gambling platforms into Australians’ lives, the exposure of children and young people to gambling advertising, and how this may contribute to increases in problem gambling in the future.”
According to Murphy, the committee has opened the inquiry to public comment through November 11. Written submissions of less than 10 pages with recommendations related to the investigation are encouraged.
The committee is expected to focus on the following points:
- The efficacy of existing online gaming consumer protection and harm minimization programs;
- Ways to better identify and address problem behavior for online gamblers;
- The quality of existing counseling and support services for online gamblers, and the accessibility of such programs;
- Regulatory and licensing-related impacts on the rate of problem online gambling;
- The meaning of “gambling services” under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and whether or not it should be expanded to include “social casino games” and “loot boxes;”
- Prevalence of illegal online gambling sites and the efficacy of current restrictive measures;
- Current advertising regulations and their ability to limit children’s exposure to potential gambling harm, including through social media posts.
All other information related to the inquiry as well as a public comment portal is on the inquiry website.
