NT has a chance to rein in Australia’s online gambling industry
The Northern Territory, with 1% of Australia's population, regulates most online gambling; a new bill aims to prevent harm.Summary
The Northern Territory, home to just 1% of Australia's population, regulates almost all of Australia's online gambling operators, including major bookmakers like Sportsbet, Bet365, and Ladbrokes. The NT Wagering Commission, which meets monthly and lacks full-time staff, has been criticized for weak oversight and conflicts of interest. Australians lose about $95 million daily to gambling, more per capita than anywhere else, with one in six adults affected by gambling harm. Recent federal and NT government efforts to reform gambling laws have been minimal, failing to impose a legal duty to prevent harm, ban inducements, or protect young people. In response, Independent Member for Johnston Justine Davis is introducing a Gambling Harm Prevention Bill in the NT Parliament. The bill would make harm prevention an explicit purpose of gambling laws, impose a legal duty on betting companies to prevent harm, ban harmful inducements like free bets and VIP schemes, strengthen the Wagering Commission's independence, introduce protections for young people, and impose penalties of up to $10 million or 10% of annual revenue. However, the Country Liberal Party, which holds 17 of 25 seats and supports the gambling industry, may oppose the bill. Davis argues that the industry's economic contribution is small and that reform is urgently needed to protect Australians.
(Source：The New Daily)