Australians at risk of being harmed by online gambling will be better protected by banning credit card payments and imposing fines of up to $234,750 for companies that do not enforce them. Through the legislation that the Albanian Labour Government is going to submit to Congress today.

The 2023 Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill will push to ban the use of credit cards and credit-related goods and digital currencies used for online betting. 경마사이트

The bill continues the government’s priority work to protect vulnerable Australians from online gambling damage, and will also give the communications minister the power to ban additional credit-related products as they emerge as a way to ‘prove the future’ of the bill.

“It’s as simple as this. People shouldn’t bet on money they don’t have,” said MP Communications Minister Hon Michelle Rowland. “The Australian government is committed to protecting Australians from the harm of gambling. Legislating a ban on the use of credit cards for online gambling will help protect vulnerable Australians and their loved ones.
“I would like to thank various stakeholders, including advocates for damage reduction, betting and lottery providers, and bank payment groups, for contributing and supporting the bill.”

The introduction of the bill will implement recommendations from the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Financial Services (PJC Inquiry) of Congress from November 2021.

The Bill will extend the authority of the Australian Communications and Media Authority to enable the strong and effective enforcement of new civil penalties and existing civil penalties under the Act. Violation of the new clause may result in a fine of up to $234,750.

The industry and consumers are offered a six-month transition period from Royal Accent, allowing them to change their business and betting behavior, respectively.

Since coming to the Ministry of Government and Labor, we have been prioritizing work to reduce the damage caused by online gambling, such as implementing final measures under the Framework Act on Consumer Protection.

These include an introduction to monthly activity statements describing wins and losses, a new evidence-based tagline to replace ‘Gamble Responsible’, nationally consistent training for employees working for online gambling companies, and ‘BetStop, National Self-Exclusion Register’, where consumers can exclude themselves from all Australian license betting services for up to three months.

In addition, the government will also introduce a mandatory customer pre-check, which obliges betting companies to identify customers when registering new accounts and before making bets. It will be implemented by the end of this month.