Australian gambling review gathers pace
Federal government asks operators for written submissions into its review of illegal offshore gambling
The Australian federal government’s review into the country’s illegal offshore wagering market has gathered momentum after operators were invited to submit their comments on its key issues for the first time.
Operators, academics, government agencies and various industry stakeholders yesterday received a formal request for submissions against the Terms of Reference which provides the purpose and scope of the review outlined by the Department of Social Services.
The Terms of Reference for the review include assessing the economic impact of unlicensed offshore wagering, the relevance of international regulatory regimes, the options available to reduce the cost of offshore wagering and how best to protect consumers.
The review, which will report to the Minister of Social Services and the Minister of Communications by 18 December 2015, was first announced on 7 September by the former government minister Scott Morrison and will be led by the former premier of New South Wales Barry O’Farrell.
A timetable for the report requires all submissions to be made by 16 November ahead of a consultation with interested parties prior to the report’s December deadline.
However, Sydney-based gaming lawyer Jamie Nettleton told eGaming Review he’d be surprised if the December deadline was met due to the scope of the review.
“The inquiry will involve many submissions and consultations and it it is very hard to conceive that it will not go past 18 December,” he said.
According to figures cited by Scott Morrison, wagering via unlicensed websites from outside Australia now accounts for 60% of the total AU$1.6bn (£730m) online gambling market and consists of approximately 2,000 websites beyond regulatory control.