| | |  | Last Updated: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 |  | | | Australia to Ban Online Casino Gambling
- Thursday, 18 May 2006
Australian media sources have confirmed that the Australian government is pushing ahead with plans to ban online casino gambling. The ban on the online casino industry will also cover betting via the internet, through interactive television and mobile phones. Official figures show that 80 percent of Australians gamble once a year and 40 percent do so regularly. However, although local gamblers would be prohibited from participating in online casino gambling, Australian firms would still be permitted to accept bets from overseas casino players.
Australia has one of the largest gambling industries in the world and most experts expect online casino gambling to expand rapidly over the next few years. By August 2001, the number of Australian households with internet access is predicted to pass 45 percent. The government is concerned that some could fall prey to the influence of online casino gaming, which it sees as a major problem. Legislators claim that the social costs for online casino gambling are 30 percent greater than those for traditional gambling.
The news has been condemned by Australia’s online casino industry, many of which point out that Australians will still be able to participate in lotteries and place bets on sporting events over the phone.
The opposition party to the government has also criticized the move, stating the government will send a message to the world that Australia is a backwater for information technology. However, one advocate of the new changes comes from an unlikely source. Peter Bridge of Lasseters has welcomed the proposal, which will still allow Australian companies to offer betting and online casino gaming to offshore casino players. | |
| |
|
