Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Griff, for your question and for your ongoing commitment to vulnerable Australians, particularly in the area of problem gambling.

You're correct: last year the UK banned gamblers from using credit cards to pay for bets, and that was for both online and offline gambling. It also applies to e-wallets, a new pattern which we're seeing emerge in paying for online betting. In the name of consumer protection, that's particularly because of evidence and anecdotes of online gambling increasing throughout the period of coronavirus in the UK. There is also anecdotal evidence of that occurring in Australia.

As you'd know, regulation of gambling and gaming is predominantly a state based responsibility. However, the government is always interested to learn what's being done in other jurisdictions to protect vulnerable communities, and there is no doubt that digital technologies like e-wallets are rapidly changing the way that people choose to gamble. In November 2018 the coalition government, in conjunction with state and territory governments, launched the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering in Australia, to provide much stronger consumer protections for Australians who are gambling online. They include things like prohibition of online wagering services from providing credit to people who gamble on their site or on an app and things like prohibition of the use of payday lenders for online betting. They include customer verification requirements, restrictions on inducement and account closures, including voluntary opt-out precommitment schemes, activity statements and consistent gambling messages, as well as staff training and the National Self-Exclusion Register. The Commonwealth will be responsible for implementing measures such as this new online National Self-Exclusion Register, which allows people to self-exclude from all online wagering sites and apps in one go. (Time expired)