Australia to launch national online gambling self-exclusion register

ACMA’s self-exclusion register for online gambling will launch on August 21.

Australia.- The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced that BetStop, its nationwide self-exclusion register, will be launched on August 21. It will enable people to voluntarily exclude themselves from all online gambling platforms across every state and territory.

The national register aims to provide more effective consumer protections by replacing existing state and territory systems, which have been criticised for their limited coverage. The creation of a comprehensive register was proposed by former communications minister Paul Fletcher in 2018. However, delays and challenges in implementation, including the voluntary administration of the company tasked with its development, hindered progress.

Onine betting providers will be required to promote BetStop through their websites, apps and marketing. If a customer is registered, the provider must stop offering them services and must close their accounts.

Gambling companies will be required to verify the identity of customers before accepting bets, eliminating the previously proposed 72-hour window. This change comes in response to concerns raised by the Northern Territory Racing Commission, which regulates the majority of online bookmakers in the country, highlighting the potential risk of people using aliases to gamble unchecked for extended periods.

For privacy reasons, Australians already enlisted in state or territory self-exclusion registers will not be automatically transferred to the forthcoming national replacement.

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs has recently released a report on its inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm. It recommends developing and implementing a comprehensive national strategy for online gambling harm reduction, supported by national regulation, an online gambling ombudsman a harm reduction levy on online wagering service providers a public education campaign and more independent research and improved data collection.