Australians will soon not be able to use credit cards, credit-related products and digital currency to gamble online, as a result of the Albanese Government’s new laws designed to minimise gambling harm which passed the Parliament last night.
This legislation to amend the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 will bring online wagering into line with land based gambling regulations – where credit card use is banned – and meaningfully improve protections for vulnerable and at-risk Australians and their families.
Industry will be provided with a six-month transition period to prepare for the ban.
Companies who fail to enforce the ban on credit cards, credit related products and digital currencies may be liable for fines of up to $234,750.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has also been granted greater powers to enforce the new and existing provisions of the Interactive Gambling Act, with immediate effect. The new laws will be reviewed two years after their implementation.
Banning the use of credit cards for online wagering continues the Government’s work on gambling reform and complements measures that have already been implemented, including:
- Launching BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, through which over 13,000 Australians have self-excluded from online wagering and promotions;
- Mandating customer pre-verification for all new online wagering accounts to prevent children from gambling and strengthen protections for Australians who have registered for BetStop;
- Agreeing with the States and Territories new minimum classifications for video games with gambling-like content;
- Implementing new evidence-based tagines to replace ‘Gamble Responsibly’;
- Introducing nationally consistent staff training; and
- Requiring online wagering companies to send their customers monthly activity statements outlining wins and losses.
The Government is committed to creating a safe online gambling environment underpinned by a robust legislative framework with strong consumer protections.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs – expertly led by the late Peta Murphy MP – recently conducted an inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm.
The Government acknowledges the work of Ms Murphy and the rest of the Committee in advocating for Australians experiencing gambling harms, and providing a platform for Australians to share their experiences. The Committee recommendations will underpin the next tranche of reforms to protect Australians from gambling harms, and the Government will make announcements about its next steps in due course.
Information about BetStop can be found at www.betstop.gov.au
Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
"The Albanese Government is committed to ensuring that gambling takes place within a robust legislative framework with strong consumer protections, and this ban is helping us to achieve just that.
“The principle here is simple: Australians should not be gambling with money they do not have.
“This legislation delivers on the commitment we made in April this year to ban the use of credit cards for online wagering.
“This ban builds on the significant progress to minimise gambling harm that our Government has already made in just 18 months in office, including launching BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register, and updating the Classification Guidelines to introduce mandatory minimum classifications for video games with gambling-like content”.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
“Our Government takes seriously our responsibility to prevent and reduce harm from online wagering.
“Our ban on credit cards will help with this goal. You can’t use your credit card to place a bet for land-based gambling and the same rules should apply for online gambling too
“All measures under the National Consumer Protection Framework are now in place as a result of the focused action our Government has taken. Since being elected, we have mandated customer pre-verification to complement BetStop, monthly activity statements, compulsory staff training and new evidence-based taglines that replace ‘gamble responsibly’ with stronger messages about gambling harms.
“But reducing harm from online gambling is not a set and forget exercise. I am proud of the steps we have taken so far and our Government, along with states and territories, will keep working to create a safer environment for Australians at risk of gambling harm.”