Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Lottery Betting) Bill 2018. Today I stand with my Labor colleagues to draw a line in the sand to give greater protections to Australian businesses and consumers when it comes to synthetic lotteries. Labor has long been on the record with concerns about the impact of synthetic lotteries such as Lottoland and, in particular, their contribution towards problem gambling, which is something I want to highlight in the House today.

When it comes to per capita spending, Australians are the world's most prolific gamblers, losing more money per person than people in any other developed country. Australians spend an average of $1,300 per capita on gambling, with the next highest being Singaporeans, at around $600 per capita. This is a growing problem and one we must all take very seriously as it reaches out to more and more people.

Synthetic lotteries only contribute further to this epidemic. Total gambling expenditure in Australia has increased by 7.7 per cent, from $21 billion in 2013-14 to $22.7 billion in 2014-15, while per-adult gambling expenditure has increased from $1,171 to $1,300 in the same period. Numbers like these were part of the reason that Labor consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including the newsagents peak body, in the lead-up to the launch of the Lottoland's Gotta Go! campaign, in consideration of this bill.

Lottery-type games, such as Powerball or Oz Lotto, are already the most prevalent forms of gambling, with over 30 per cent of Australians participating. For many, this is a social activity, with the occasional dollar spent on having a go on the weekly lotto, but for some, this is quickly becoming an addiction. Studies have already proven that pathological gamblers are at an increased risk of developing stress-related conditions such as hypertension, sleep deprivation, cardiovascular disease and peptic ulcer disease. We know that people can quickly become engulfed by this addiction, and we must ensure all practical steps are in place to keep people from falling into this trap.

In 2017, Labor formally requested that the ACCC undertake an investigation into representations made by companies that offer betting on lottery results. Mr Speaker, I seek leave to continue my remarks at a later date.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

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