A recently published draft report from the Australian Productivity Commission has found that Australia's ban on online gaming is not working, with Australians increasingly gambling abroad on sites with minimal consumer protection.
The Commission has proposed 'managed liberalisation', with supply being made legal in Australia, but only if stringent harm minimization measures are introduced.
The Commission also proposed stronger harm minimization measures, mainly aimed at 'pokies' (poker, or slot machines), including lowering the intensity of play and the capacity for gamblers to set spending limits on themselves. Gamblers in Australia spend over AUD18bn (USD16.6bn) per year, including nearly AUD12bn on poker machines.
The Commission has drawn from experiences in Australia and overseas to craft proposals that it argues will help to reduce the social costs of gambling without unduly impacting on its recreational value. Key proposals are directed at:
Other harm minimization proposals include limiting access to cash in venues, longer and earlier shutdowns of gaming rooms (drawing from the Queensland approach), and better warnings (based on Victoria's model).
The Commission has also proposed an overhaul of wagering regulations that will promote competition and lower prices for gamblers, while sustaining the racing industry.
The Commission is holding public hearings on its draft inquiry report in late November and December, with its final report to Government expected to be delivered by February 26, 2010.
A comprehensive report in our Intelligence Report series examining the new possibilities that offshore e-commerce open up for business, and analysing the offshore jurisdictions that have led the way in offering professional e-commerce regimes for international business, with a particular focus on e-gaming, is available in the Lowtax Library at http://www.lowtaxlibrary.com/asp/subs_reports.asp and a description of the report can be seen at http://www.lowtaxlibrary.com/asp/description_report6.asp
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