Australia to ban credit cards for online gambling

[The Buzz]

The Australian Department of Social Services announced on Tuesday that a new bill will be introduced to parliament today, seeking to ban the use of credit cards and credit related products, along with digital currencies, used for online wagering.

From the press release:

Australians at risk of online gambling harm will be better protected through a ban on credit card payments and fines of up to $234,750 for companies who don’t enforce it, through legislation to be introduced by the Albanese Labor Government to Parliament today.

The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Credit and Other Measures) Bill 2023 will seek to ban the use of credit cards and credit related products, as well as digital currencies, used for online wagering.

The Bill continues the Government’s priority work to protect vulnerable Australians from online gambling harms and will also provide the Minister for Communications with the power to prohibit additional credit-related products as they emerge as a way of ‘future proofing’ the legislation.

The introduction of the Bill implements recommendations from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services (PJC Inquiry) from November 2021.

The Bill will expand the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s powers to ensure strong and effective enforcement of the new and existing civil penalty provisions under the Act. Penalties up to $234,750 could apply for any breach of the new provisions.
Industry and consumers will be provided with a six month transition period from the date of Royal Assent to change their business and betting behaviours respectively.

Read more here: https://ministers.dss.gov.au/media-r...iament%20today.

[Pokerface]

As I started reading, I thought this was done a few years ago. Apparently introduced in November 2021 .... took 2 years! Guess it wasn't that important.

[shijemGG]

Australia is just a testing country, they need to do everything first, to see if their people accept new conditions and then they go for other countries (that also goes for Canada)

[ocreditor]

Players have alternatives, the problem is that it's a useless move

[NoDepositCasinos]

They lost me at "vulnerable Australians".