Cashless gaming is currently a major focus for NSW, and is an important part of tackling money laundering via pokies,211 but is not an essential pre-cursor for mandatory pre-commitment. Most venue-based consumer protections rely on individual staff to track gambling risk and know when and how to step in – a difficult task which staff have little incentive to undertake. Showed how effective the gambling industry is in influencing Australian politics, punching well above its weight. Organised attempts to influence policy can create windfall gains for a few, at the expense of the many. Gambling is considered a heavily regulated industry in Australia, but current regulations are not particularly effective in reducing harm, let alone preventing it. Just 5 per cent of gamblers account for 77 per cent of gambling spending using debit cards (Figure 1.6).

4 Prevention is better than cure

Australian Consumer Law applies to products and services consumers buy from all businesses in Australia, including gambling businesses. The total turnover of the territory’s bookmakers was $42.4 billion with a “tax revenue” of $18.8 million and the annual report attributed 749 “territory jobs” to the industry. The NT is the home of Australia’s $50 billion online gambling industry, with 43 corporate bookmakers basing themselves in the jurisdiction for its low taxes. Northern Territory crossbenchers have called for the government to establish a parliamentary red dog casino no deposit code inquiry into laws governing Australia’s controversial de facto online gambling regulator. Industry lobbyists claim that restricting or banning gambling ads would jeopardise the financial viability of sport, or the free-to-air TV industry.

• The time is right for federal, state, and territory governments to come together to implement a coordinated reform package.
• Just 5 per cent of gamblers account for 77 per cent of gambling spending using debit cards (Figure 1.6).
• Tipping competitions can also be conducted online so long as all proceeds are returned to the players as prizes and it is conducted by an association or individual as defined in the CNPG Act.
• The total turnover of the territory’s bookmakers was $42.4 billion with a “tax revenue” of $18.8 million and the annual report attributed 749 “territory jobs” to the industry.

Gambling Harm

They can make their presence known locally, with pokies providers in almost every electorate, stoke community fears about loss of jobs and services (Chapter 4), and they exert financial influence too. The second is that gambling is such a politically powerful industry, with many powerful allies, governments are scared to take them on. This report mainly focuses on reducing the harm caused by pokies and betting. Other forms of gambling can undoubtedly be harmful, but are either lower risk113 or less common,114 so receive less attention in this report.

3 Improve gambling support services

We also need a ‘seatbelt’ for the most dangerous gambling products, to stop catastrophic losses when people lose control. Australia must get serious about preventing gambling harm and implement a package of reforms to make gambling less pervasive and safer. Meanwhile, online betting has surged, particularly among young men, spurred by a barrage of gambling advertising. There are various types of online games that a person may wish to conduct in Queensland. If you do not believe your proposed game fits within one of the categories below, you may wish to apply for an interactive gambling licence.

State governments give away at least $1.2 billion in pokies tax concessions for clubs230 – more than enough to cover the cost of improving support services. Regulators should be wary that setting limits on how much people can lose while gambling creates an incentive for the industry to more aggressively try to increase its customer base. This makes the ban on all gambling advertising and inducements (Section 3.1.1) all the more important. If Australian governments are serious about preventing gambling harm, they will need to bolster their efforts and take action to both reduce the pervasiveness of gambling in Australia and make gambling safer. Mandatory pre-commitment with upper limits on losses could provide that safety net (see Chapter 3).

NSW stands out in having banned political donations from gambling businesses because of the potential for influence and perception of influence.167 But gambling interests in NSW still can and do donate at the federal level. Casinos have been the subject of recent Royal Commissions and major inquiries.115 State governments should follow through on these reforms. The individualistic approach is promoted by the gambling industry.105 Blaming problems on a small group of ‘aberrant’ individuals absolves the industry of responsibility, and diminishes the case for stronger action by governments. The main reason Australia’s regulations are so weak is the influence of the gambling industry. Past reform efforts have been killed by highly organised, well-funded industry campaigns. In other countries, high-impact, high-loss ‘Australian-style’ machines are typically confined to casinos.11 But in Australia, they are pockmarked across our suburbs and towns, increasing the risk of harm.

Loot boxes, in particular, are a common gambling-like feature in electronic games and have been linked to gambling problems (see Box 4). Limiting the sheer number of venues where pokies are present is more important than simply limiting the number of machines. While a destination model such as Western Australia’s is a long way off for the rest of the country,193 state governments should actively reduce the number of machines and venues.