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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-11-29 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

Gambling Review

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:02): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: On 26 September 2016, the Hon. Tim Anderson QC was appointed by the government to undertake an independent review of the state's gambling regulatory framework and the administrative arrangements for regulating the gambling industry in South Australia. The intention of the review was to assist the government with the development of future commercial gambling regulatory arrangements. Mr Anderson undertook extensive consultation and provided the government with his finding on 9 December 2016.

In April 2017, South Australia reached an in-principle agreement with the commonwealth to negotiate broad reforms to combat the harms associated with the normalisation of gambling within the community, particularly in relation to the online gambling sphere. Sadly, progress has been slow. However, any change to the current South Australian regulatory model at this time may hinder or cut across the implementation of national consumer protection measures. Bearing this in mind, and to ensure that the IGA has an opportunity to respond to the report before any decision by cabinet, further progress will await this response.

Disturbingly, it has come to my attention that online gambling providers are sending unsolicited advertisements to children and, I believe, to other vulnerable people to encourage them to open an account and to participate in online gambling. Under-age gambling is against the law. It is predatory, so is cold canvassing people who have a gambling problem or are otherwise barred from traditional forms of gambling.

A person can easily open an account with online gambling services without verification of their age or other relevant details. Under current rules, providers can have up to 90 days to verify a person's identity. This may obviously not occur before a lot of money has been wagered. Interestingly, getting money out does require proof of identity; fancy that!

So we have unsolicited bait advertising, cold canvassing and no proof of age or identity being required to commence betting. Imagine if this were the case with alcohol or tobacco. The barrier to entry must be there. It should be just as hard to establish a betting account as it is to establish a bank account. It should be no easier to promote gambling than it is to promote tobacco. This honey-potting practice must send.

On 30 March 2017, the government called upon the commonwealth to implement 10 important measures to reduce the harm caused by online gambling. Progress has been slow and frustrated by compromise and an unwillingness to stand up to the online gambling lobby. I call upon online gambling providers to implement measures to require a person to properly satisfy all proof of identity checks before opening an account and to put an end to all unsolicited advertising, especially to minors or other vulnerable people.

I ask any South Australians who have been in receipt of unsolicited advertising from online gambling service providers to report the details of such advertising to the Office of Consumer and Business Services. Also, any examples of advertising to children or letting children open accounts should be reported. This information will be collected to assist this government's advocacy for better protections for children and other vulnerable people from online gambling. I will be publicly outing any operators who are identified.

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