Australian Gambling Reform Vote May Be Delayed Until Next Year
Posted by Nate Glynde under Gambling Advice on July 1 2011, 0 comments

Tags: Year

They are changes that have been being discussed for almost a year now. In Australia, tougher regulations for the gambling industry has been at the center of the political debates for a while, but now it appears that a final vote on a proposed bill may not come until 2012/ Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is the driving force behind proposed changes that would have an effect on casino and sports gambling. Wilkie is pushing a bill that would make gamblers more accountable for their own potential addictions. Senator Nick Xenophon started the ball rolling with gambling regulation reform when he insisted that the government must do something to slow the growing problem gambling rate in Australia. Xenophon has been relentless in his mission, and now Wilkie agrees that change is needed. The bill on the table would require that casinos install technology in which gamblers would have to set betting limits before starting their slot gambling session. The casinos disagree with this requirement, claiming instead that it should be an option. Another part of the bill would implement a $250 a day maximum on ATM withdrawals at casinos. This would ensure that gamblers would have to leave the casino, and have a coll down period before withdrawing more money and chasing the money they have already lost at the gaming facilities. The sports gambling industry is also being targeted in the latest round of discussions. Advertising of sports betting sites has been rampant, and the government wants to curb some of the advertisements. The overall goal of the government is to make Australians more aware of the potential dangers associated with gambling. “The government will work with the sporting and betting industries to reduce and control the promotion of live ads during sporting coverage through amendments to their existing industry codes,” a spokesman for MP Wilkie told the Blacktown Advocate. The gambling addiction numbers have continued to rise in Australia over the past several years, and the government has decided on a proactive approach to bring the figures back down. Even if laws are passed at the end of this year, or early in 2012, implementation in some areas would likely not take place until 2014. Other territories could see the new laws kick in much sooner. The ATM and betting limit laws have become popular in areas of the world where gambling has become more prevalent. In the US, several states have created laws that prohibit ATM machines from being inside casinos.

Similar Posts:

Share

0 Comments

No comments yet.

Leave a comment