Australia's Productivity Commission has recommended a change to the current prohibitive stance toward online gambling.
The report, released this week in Canberra, calls for a relaxing of rules currently in place which prohibit offshore operators from targeting Australian punters, as well as restricting the extent to which locally licensed operators can offer products to locals.
Interestingly, while calling for a more relaxed approach to online gambling, the report also recommends that stricter limits be placed on gamblers playing terrestrial poker machines. Considered to be at the core of problem gambling in Australia, poker machines rake in $12 billion of the $18 gambled annually and most State Governments are addicted to the revenues generated from them.
It is proposed by the Productivity Commission that the current $1200/hr limit on poker machine handle be reduced to $120/hr. While this suggestion has received a positive response from anti-gambling groups, not surprisingly the talk of expanded online gambling activity has met with considerable disquiet - from both the anti-gambling lobby and local wagering interests.
Peter V'Landys, CEO of Horse Racing NSW described moved to repeal the current Interactive Gambling Act as having the potential to 'open up the greatest problem gambling situation on God's Earth'.
It's good to see the head of a large wagering organization so concerned about people losing money. Of course he also slipped in the comment that the changes may also adversely effect his industry 'because punters would place bets online, not at racetracks'.
More details on the report may be found at the Canberra Times
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