Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to rise to support the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Credit and Other Measures) Bill 2023. Through this bill, the Albanese government is banning the use of credit cards and credit-like products on online gambling. We take seriously our responsibility to prevent and reduce harm from online gambling. As the Minister for Social Services, I'm pleased to lead the government's ongoing work in this space alongside the Minister for Communications. Earlier this year, the government committed to legislate this ban, which was recommended by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services. This bill delivers on that commitment. It amends the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to ban the use of credit cards and credit related products for online gambling, including credit cards linked to a digital wallet or e-wallet, as well as digital currencies.

About 15 per cent to 20 per cent of people who wager do so with credit cards, and they are more likely to experience gambling harm. A study by the Gambling Treatment and Research Clinic found that around half of the customers who use their credit card for online gambling met the criteria for problem gambling. It's pretty simple: people should not be betting with money they don't have. This overdue reform aligns with the existing bans on credit card and land based gambling for TAB outlets, casinos and pokies, which have been in place since the early 2000s. You can't use your credit card to place a bet for land based gambling, and the same rules should apply for online gambling as well.

The bill also expands the Australian Communications and Media Authority's compliance and enforcement powers to ensure strong and effective enforcement of the new and existing penalty provisions under the act. Consequently, there will be considerable penalties for contravention of the ban, with companies facing fines of up to $234,000. We're serious about protecting vulnerable Australians from the harm we know online gambling can cause. That's why penalties are important for any platform breaching the new rules.

The bill is the latest step in the government's ongoing efforts to prevent and reduce gambling harm. While many Australians can enjoy a punt, we know gambling and online gambling can cause harm. Along with the obvious financial impacts, gambling can pose a risk to a person's physical and mental health, wellbeing and relationships. A ban on the use of credit cards and credit related products for online gambling will help reduce the incidence of this harm by immediately and effectively stopping people from gambling with money they don't have. This is common sense and well overdue.

Australia has the highest gambling losses per adult in the world, with a total of $25 billion in losses per annum or $1,300 per adult per annum. Online gambling is growing in Australia, partly due to the ease of access through mobile devices. In less than 10 years, participation in online gambling has more than doubled, equating to approximately 3.5 million Australian adults. Around one million online gamblers in Australia are at risk for experiencing some degree of gambling harm. These statistics speak to the need for consistent and ongoing efforts to prevent and reduce harm from all levels of government. It can't be a set-and-forget exercise, and it's something we are working closely with our state and territory counterparts on.

Banning credit for online gambling is an important next step for us to take. Many people, including harm reduction advocates and those people representing the gambling industry itself, support this measure. The bill has drawn on consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including harm reduction advocates, wagering and lottery providers, and banking and payment organisations. Furthermore, research released by the peak banking body, the Australian Banking Association, has found that more than 80 per cent of Australians believe gambling with credit cards should be restricted or banned. It is clear there is widespread support for the introduction of this important protective and preventative measure. Industry and consumers will have a six-month transition period from the date of Royal Assent to change their business and betting behaviours respectively.

This bill strongly aligns with government's broader agenda to reduce harm from online gambling. It's part of a suite of initiatives we've been delivering. Since coming to office, we've wasted no time in implementing all the remaining measures of the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering. The national framework has 10 measures that provide people with easy-to-use tools and information to safely manage their gambling. The framework was launched in 2018, but when we came to government there were still four outstanding measures, which we implemented once coming to office. Since then, we've implemented the monthly activity statements that clearly show customers their wins and losses. We've introduced a requirement for the training of staff of wagering companies about how to minimise the risk of gambling harm. We've implemented the new evidence-based taglines that replace the previous 'gambling responsibly'. Examples of the new taglines include: 'Chances are you're about to lose', 'What's gambling really costing you?' and 'You win some, you lose more.' These messages must appear in all advertising across all platforms such as customer online-gambling accounts, print and broadcast marketing, and sponsorship and advertising activities.

In August, the Minister for Communications and I launched BetStop—the self-exclusion register. By signing up to BetStop, people can immediately exclude themselves from all telephone and online gambling services for a minimum of three months up to a maximum of a lifetime. Since commencement, there have been over 9,000 registrations, which is a great uptake. Many of these people are choosing to exclude for a lifetime. Complementing BetStop last month, we've implemented mandatory pre-verification, meaning wagering companies must verify a customer's identity when they register for a new account and before they can place a bet. This strengthens the protections for underage Australians and for those self-excluded through BetStop. These are some of the steps our government has taken in the last 18 months to prevent and reduce harm from online gambling.

With BetStop up and running, all 10 measures under the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering are in place. In addition to the framework, the government has worked with jurisdictions to update the classification rules for online and video games to protect children from being exposed to gambling, and the Minister for Communications recently announced mandatory minimum classifications for computer games containing gambling-like content.

Preventing and reducing gambling harm requires a multipronged approach and consistent focus. This bill is only the latest part of the many actions our government has taken. Earlier this year, I convened the first meeting of gambling ministers from across the Commonwealth, states and territories since 2017. At this meeting, all ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to pursue actions to minimise harm from online gambling. Part of our consideration of what will come next will include considering the findings from the recent parliamentary inquiry into online gambling undertaken by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs. The committee made 31 wide-ranging recommendations, covering issues like public health principles, national strategy, simulated gambling, gambling advertising, research, data, and evidence. The government is carefully considering the report and its recommendations. There is more to do, but I am proud of the steps we've taken so far, and assure those listening that the Albanese government will continue to work to create a safer environment for Australians at risk of gambling harm. I commend the bill to the House.

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