The ACT government looks set to review the impact of online gambling in the ACT, with one of its backbenchers moving a motion this week calling for the assessment.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Labor's Dr Marisa Paterson, who will move the motion this week, said the government had put less focus on online gambling than on poker machines, which were the subject of significant reform initiatives.
"We need to understand more about this type of gambling, and then look at ways to prevent that harm from occurring in the first place," Dr Paterson said.
Dr Paterson was a gambling researcher before entering the Legislative Assembly in 2020 as a member for Murrumbidgee.
She said research had suggested one in four adult males gamble online in the ACT and 25 per cent of those people who gamble mostly online in the ACT were classified as at-risk gamblers, experiencing some level of gambling harm.
"We need to understand more about this type of gambling, and then look at ways to prevent that harm from occurring in the first place," Dr Paterson said in a statement on Tuesday.
READ MORE:
"We need a clearer picture of who the companies are that take bets in the ACT, how ACT residents are advertised to, and we need to explore additional revenue streams that can be accessed to ameliorate the harm caused by these companies.
"Australia is one of the biggest gambling markets in the word for these international betting companies.
"They take our bets, pay very little tax and contribute absolutely nothing to our community, all the while causing quite significant harm."
The motion, if passed, will call on the ACT government to consider increasing taxes on the online gambling industry and report back to the Assembly by the end of 2023.
Dr Paterson's push comes after the Attorney-General, Shane Rattenbury, announced the territory would move to central monitoring of electronic gambling machines, alongside bet and load-up limits.
The government is currently consulting with poker-machine operators.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
