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Betting companies will be required to pay a levy to help fund an advertising campaign for BetStop, the national self-exclusion register for problem gamblers. The move is part of a wider federal gambling reform package that also includes tighter limits on gambling advertising.
New Ad Limits
The federal government is preparing to enact new laws on Wednesday, restricting the number of gambling ads that can air in an hour and eliminating gambling ads from being broadcast during sporting events. This is part of a bigger plan to decrease gambling advertising.
Communication Minister Anika Wells explained that the campaign will assist gamblers in learning about self-exclusion. She said BetStop is the most effective way to help people affected by gambling harms reduce their betting, and noted that only 1 in 3 people who placed a punt in the past 12 months know about it.
The register allows people who sign up to be blocked from licensed Australian betting services in 1 place. In light of the recent statistics by the communications regulator, it can be seen that there are 60,000 individuals who have enrolled themselves into exclusion.
By the end of March, 37,247 people had exclusion in their names. The statistics above reveal that the register is being used, but what the government aims to do is make more people aware about it.
Government Reform Plan
Wells said she hoped parliament could reach consensus on the reforms so they could take effect by January. She also said the reform package includes plans to ban pocket pokies and address areas that are still lightly regulated.
Among those areas are online lotteries and overseas lotteries, which she said do not provide consumer protections for Australian users. Her comments placed the BetStop campaign within a wider set of measures aimed at tightening oversight of gambling products and promotions.
The advertising levy is intended to support that broader push by increasing awareness of the exclusion register. The government appears to see BetStop not only as a support service but also as a central part of its harm-minimisation approach.
Political Response
Sarah Hanson-Young, Greens communications spokesperson, stated that the government hadn’t done enough to reform gambling. According to her statement, restricting gambling advertisements to certain hours wouldn’t protect the citizens, particularly the young generation.
The spokesperson stated that it was a half-arsed policy which couldn’t protect the families since children don’t go to bed at 8:30 when watching their favorite football team. Her remarks reflected broader criticism of the plan from opponents who want stronger restrictions.
Hanson-Young also said the government needed to grow a spine, stand up to the gambling lobby, and stand up to the big online media companies benefiting from the advertising. Her comments highlighted the political divide around how far the reforms should go.
Campaign And Compliance
The new levy requirement will place gambling companies directly into the funding of the BetStop awareness drive. Combined with the ad restrictions, the measure is meant to make the self-exclusion register more visible and easier for gamblers to use.
For now, the reform package is being presented as a mix of advertising controls, consumer protection, and harm reduction. With parliament set to consider the laws, the government is trying to build support for a system that gives BetStop a stronger public profile while also tightening the way gambling is advertised.
Source: Yahoo!News
