Australia introduces bill aimed at restricting online gambling operations

[The Buzz]

A new bill to tighten restrictions on offshore operators that operate online gambling services in Australia has been unveiled by the federal government.

Following a review of the existing laws, it became apparent that some gambling groups were getting around existing restrictions on live betting online by simulating a phone call – known as “click to call” by live betting services – which was a permitted exception under existing laws. Alan Tudge, the human services minister, said: “Currently hundreds of illegal gambling services are easily accessible on the internet and we know that people are more likely to get into trouble online – 2.7% of interactive gamblers are problem gamblers compared to 0.9% of all gamblers . . . We expect online wagering providers to meet community expectations. The tougher laws will seriously disrupt illegal offshore providers from acting unscrupulously or targeting vulnerable Australians."

Buzzy would love to know if anyone can shed some light on this "click to call" strategy, and explain how it works.

Read the entire article here: http://www.yogonet.com/international...ing-operations

[sweetbet]

"Australia has the sixth highest number of gambling machines in the world, the report shows, with Australian pubs, clubs and casinos operating more machines than Canada (eighth in the world) and Mexico (ninth) combined."

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...d-in-the-world

Yet the Australian government wants you to believe that they are genuinely interested in protecting the weak and vulnerable from the dangers of problem gambling. Yeah Right !!

[JackTenSuited]

A new bill to tighten restrictions on offshore operators that operate online gambling services in Australia has been unveiled by the federal government.



Buzzy would love to know if anyone can shed some light on this "click to call" strategy, and explain how it works.

Read the entire article here: http://www.yogonet.com/international...ing-operations

In australia you can only make inplay bets if you phone up a bookies. I know william hill get around this by allowing you to 'call' them by pressing a button on their website and using your mic (I believe this whole thing is automated) https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=4PwAhl4k9to

[agsgroup]

More and More casinos are stopping AU registrations.. the other month it was Vera John and now Casumo

[Renee]

I'm going to search more on this today, but it looks like this only applies to sportsbetting, as usual.

I'm also yet to see anything on the media here about it.

[Muppet]

Renee - nope its all offshore unlicensed gambling.

You've (Buzz) missed the forest for the trees on this one. Eliminating click to call is something that has been on the cards for a long time as the bookies were disingenuously using it to get around a law that already exists that bans placing in-play bets online. It is a minor part of the proposed amendments that licensed operators have already voluntarily abided by and is no surprise to anyone.

The far more relevant thing about this for an affiliate webmasters board is the amendments being proposed that would take a more aggressive approach against offshore operators and affiliates. There are a few ignorant and/or cavalier Australian based affiliates (some members here) that run .com.au sites or sites that specifically cater only to Australians, which is already in contravention of the existing law. Currently there is a specific exemption in the Interactive Gambling Act (s 61EA part 3) for sites that have a majority of visitors that do not physically reside in Australia, so generalist affiliate sites are ok. The Australian focused sites have gotten by for a long time because no-one has bothered enforcing the law but it looks as if this is going to change.

This is the important part that you should be focusing on instead of minor inconveniences for operators because there are members that post here that could potentially end up in court, either if these amendments go through, or someone simply starts enforcing the already existing laws.

More info here:
https://www.casinolistings.com/news/...iga-amendments

[ocreditor]

interesting to see how the enforcement will actually change

[allfreechips]

I heard before Microgaming was pulling out all together

[WagerJoint]

Big changes are coming. Poli and Nyx OGS have pulled from the market also (from certain offshore sites, not all).

[WagerJoint]

I heard before Microgaming was pulling out all together

This would be a seismic change because Jackpotcity Casino, Spin Palace and other viper casinos have a big chunk of the market.

[Renee]

I heard before Microgaming was pulling out all together

Interesting that I haven't heard that.
Was that from another operator?

Wouldn't surprise me if it happened tbh, just that I haven't heard it.

[Renee]

This would be a seismic change because Jackpotcity Casino, Spin Palace and other viper casinos have a big chunk of the market.

Looking at everyone pulling out I'd expect the RTGs will probably take over the market if that happens.

[FreakyVegas_Adrian]

Quite sure bitcoin casinos are rubbing their hands over this

This would be a seismic change because Jackpotcity Casino, Spin Palace and other viper casinos have a big chunk of the market.

[Miles_FTA]

While in Berlin I heard Rumours about MGS Pulling out but nothing concrete so cant comment 100% on that but wow what a market to be in if that did happen.

I do find it strange that although the Australian Gaming market is huge and Australians love there Pokies etc why the Australian goverment would want to risk losing a potential money spinner.

They should really be looking at making the market more open and regulating it than closing it off or making it harder there is money there for everyone if they did the right things.

I guess from what ive heard the goverment tends to want to hold everyones hands and keep everyone out of harms way instead of letting people do what they want with there free money.

I Do agree with Renee RTG would eat up the Market should MGS pull out at least those with AUD as a currency ...

[LukeC]

While in Berlin I heard Rumours about MGS Pulling out but nothing concrete so cant comment 100% on that but wow what a market to be in if that did happen.

I do find it strange that although the Australian Gaming market is huge and Australians love there Pokies etc why the Australian goverment would want to risk losing a potential money spinner.

They should really be looking at making the market more open and regulating it than closing it off or making it harder there is money there for everyone if they did the right things.

I guess from what ive heard the goverment tends to want to hold everyones hands and keep everyone out of harms way instead of letting people do what they want with there free money.

I Do agree with Renee RTG would eat up the Market should MGS pull out at least those with AUD as a currency ...

What potential money spinner? Online casinos don't generate any tax revenues for Australia currently...

[Renee]

I suppose it's hard to see why the Aussie government wouldn't want to make money from taxes of online casinos, but from inside it's easy to see. The amount of money generated from pokies in clubs here is so high that they wouldn't want people to stop playing. A lot of clubs are only still open because of the pokies. They don't make their money from the food and drinks sold, just from the pokies.

AFAIK the clubs here pay big money to the govt to have the pokies in the first place, plus ongoing taxes kinda like we pay royalties back to the software provider. I'd imagine that if they weren't getting all that money they might have to get the money elsewhere (raise taxes?) because it contributes to such a high amount.

Myron - yep you're right, we live in a nanny state. You see in Europe people can go out, they don't measure drinks and people get plastered and don't fight. Aussies on the other hand seem to just want to hurt each other when they get drunk, so we have measured drinks, and responsible service of alcohol where you get kicked out or denied service if you're intoxicated. People glass each other so they aren't allowed to serve alcohol in glass past a certain hour, no shots after midnight, and after 1.30am you can't get into a club because of the "Coward Punch" that was happening where people were king hitting randoms in the street and killing them.

Then you have the drug problem where people can't even go out without getting on it, so now they have random drug testing, just like the random alcohol testing while driving.

Aussies are out of control!

[Muppet]

While they have tried to spin it that way, the reality is that if the Australian government's motives were anything to do with nannying or harm minimisation then we wouldn't have the most number of land based poker machines per head of population in the world, with worse payout rates and no limit controls that we see at most good online casinos these days. This is being driven by vested interests including the licensed bookmakers, Australian clubs that own poker machines, and the corporations that control the poker machines. They don't want competition, they are at a disadvantage due to the tax laws, and they have the ear of the government.

It will be a sad day if Australians end up being restricted to similar choices that Americans have as the market dominated by RTG, Rival, Betsoft, TopGame/PragmaticPlay etc is mostly garbage run by many questionable, if not outright criminal, operators and suppliers. If all the better operators decide to exclude Aussies (and many have started) we could end up in a similar position, especially in online casino and poker for which there are no licensed operators i.e. players less protected and more vulnerable to the sharks out there.

Its a head in the sand, protectionist, 20th century mentality but as we have seen in the U.S. recently this is the way countries run by people with no vision are heading these days.

[ocreditor]

I suppose it's hard to see why the Aussie government wouldn't want to make money from taxes of online casinos, but from inside it's easy to see. The amount of money generated from pokies in clubs here is so high that they wouldn't want people to stop playing. A lot of clubs are only still open because of the pokies. They don't make their money from the food and drinks sold, just from the pokies....

Sound like the same situation used to be with the UIGEA back in 2006 at the US

[Renee]

Sound like the same situation used to be with the UIGEA back in 2006 at the US

Possibly, but I think in the US they dont have machines in every pub right? They just have their casinos.

In oz, you can go into a pub and there are pokies there. They are in nightclubs. They are everywhere.

[Miles_FTA]

@ LukeC That's what I meant is that if it was regulated and they taxed companies for operating there it would be a huge money spinner considering Australians love Poikes and Gaming.