An official government review into all forms of gambling, including online is to take place in Australia.
Last week the federal government agreed to set up a ministerial advisory group that would be chaired by former cabinet secretary Peter Shergold and including software specialists, academics, gaming industry representatives and problem gambling experts. The group will be charged with the responsibility of advising the yet to be formed Joint Select Parliamentary Committee on Gambling on future gambling policy and reform in Australia.
Back in October last year Australia's Productivity Commission recommended the government open its online gambling market...a recommendation that was rejected by the government shortly afterward.
The new review comes at the prompting of Andrew Wilkie, one of the independent MP's that the Gillard government needed to win support from in order to establish a minority government. Wilkie is a vocal anti-slots campaigner.
Senator Nick Xenophon wants to make sure the review includes online gambling, saying:
'Obviously you don't want to close down or deal effectively with one problem and another is created...we also need to review online gambling laws so we don't have an emerging problem in years to come.'
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