Government officials in Australia are collaborating to establish a pioneering structure designed to safeguard players nationwide. The objective is to implement a comprehensive plan within the next year and a half. This initiative has garnered support from high-ranking officials across all Australian states and territories.
The “National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering” will introduce ten protective measures for individuals who engage in gambling, as stated by Paul Fletcher, the Federal Minister for Families and Social Services. These protocols will be uniformly applied throughout Australia.
Within the framework, gambling operators will be mandated to furnish users with user-friendly resources to assist them in effectively managing their gambling activities.
Minister Fletcher highlighted that Australia’s lenient stance on gambling, combined with technological advancements, has resulted in a threefold increase in the prevalence of problematic online gambling.
“This national structure will encompass approximately 2.5 million active online wagering accounts, representing roughly one million Australians,” he explained. “Significantly, it will also extend its benefits to the more than 240,000 Australians who are already grappling with substantial harm stemming from online gambling.”
For the first time in Australia’s history, a national self-exclusion registry will be created, empowering individuals to restrict or entirely prevent their access to gambling websites. The implementation of this registry will be overseen by the federal government.
The development of this framework comes as a direct response to recommendations put forth following a 2015 federal government review that examined illegal offshore betting operations.
This expands upon prior legislative changes the administration has implemented, such as limiting gambling advertisement methods, prohibiting collaborations between short-term loan providers and internet gaming firms, and barring operations functioning illicitly.
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