FC: Australian government wants to ban Net-gambling

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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Australian Government Set To Ban Net Gambling Services
2001-03-27 05:35:05

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From: "Dave McClure" <dmcclure () usiia org>
To: <declan () well com>
Subject: Interactive gambling ban - Media Release
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 11:02:40 -0500
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Here is the news release from Sen. Richard Alston, Minister for
communications, information technology and the arts, announcing a new effort
to ban gambling in Australia.

http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-graphics/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&pathid=5602

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[text of press release follows. --DBM]

Interactive gambling ban
The Federal Government will shortly introduce legislation to prohibit 
Australian gambling service providers from providing online and interactive 
gambling and wagering services to people located in Australia, the Minister 
for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard 
Alston announced today.
'The prohibition will apply to all gaming and wagering services, including 
poker machines, casino games, sports betting and lotteries, that are 
offered on a commercial basis over the Internet or through online delivery 
systems such as interactive television and advanced mobile phone 
technologies,' Senator Alston said.
'However, it will not apply to Australian gambling service providers 
offering such new interactive services to people who are physically located 
overseas. While it is a matter for other countries to decide how they will 
approach online gambling, Australia's status as one of the world's leading 
problem gambling nations demands that we take decisive action to protect 
the most vulnerable in our community.
'Importantly the regime will not place any obligation on Internet Service 
Providers (ISPs) to filter or to block prohibited interactive gambling 
sites. Instead, the legislation will place the onus on gambling service 
providers to determine whether users are physically located in Australia 
and, if they are, to prevent them from accessing the gambling site.
'In relation to gambling service providers located offshore, the Government 
will apply a similar regime to the online content regime whereby ISPs are 
required to inform and make available to their customers relevant 
user-based filters. While this aspect of the regime will be complaints 
based as is the case with online content, it will be administered 
pro-actively through the early identification of the finite number of 
overseas gambling sites which will then be passed on to filter manufacturers.
'The regime will not result in any reduction in Internet performance. 
However, the Coalition Government does not resile from its social 
responsibility to ensure that the Internet is a safe and secure place for 
all Australians to enjoy and to use as a beneficial social, educational and 
business tool.
'The regime will not apply to long-established forms of interactive 
gambling such as telephone betting. Nor will it apply to non-commercial 
activities such as office footy tipping competitions or Melbourne Cup 
sweeps when they are conducted over the Internet. Of course, the regime 
will not apply to Internet share trading.'
Senator Alston said that the Government had taken heed of a recent report 
by the National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE) which 
investigated the feasibility and consequences of banning interactive 
gambling. The report found that the growth of interactive gambling has the 
potential for negative social consequences for Australia because of the 
greatly increased accessibility of gambling services.
'In 1999, the Productivity Commission found that there were some 290,000 
problem gamblers in Australia with 130,000 classified as 'severe' problem 
gamblers,' Senator Alston said.
'In light of these facts, it is incumbent upon governments at all levels 
and of all political persuasions to take strong action to combat the tragic 
economic and social consequences of gambling in this country.
'Given that the Internet has the potential to make every home a virtual 
casino, it is disappointing that the States and Territories have been so 
dilatory in introducing a consumer protection and harm minimisation regime 
for online gambling.
'However such measures, in themselves, are no substitute for the firm and 
decisive action being proposed by the Federal Government as, the fact of 
the matter is, that no politician can honestly guarantee that merely 
introducing tough online gambling regulation will prevent a further 
exacerbation of problem gambling in Australia.
'With 70% of Australians believing that gambling does more harm than good 
and 92% not wanting more poker machines, it is now time for Messrs Beazley, 
Beattie, Bacon and Bracks to step up to the plate and support this 
important legislation,' Senator Alston said.
A copy of the NOIE report is available at www.noie.gov.au
Media Contact:
Senator Alston's Office, Sasha Grebe, 02 6277 740 or 0409 445 246
Website: www.richardalston.dcita.gov.au
38/01
27 March 2001





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