Online gaming regulations in australia

Neither body has a website, although information on their operations is available from the Annual Report of the Authority. The Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation regulates machine gaming, casinos, art unions, lotteries and keno in Queensland. It has a comprehensive website pages dealing with topical issues, legislation, statistics, information on interactive gambling and other policy matters.

The Gaming Supervisory Authority is responsible for ensuring that there is effective supervision of the operations of casino and gaming machine licensees in SA. It is the function of the Office of the Liquor and Gaming Commissioner to provide the supervision of licencees. The Tasmanian Gaming Commission regulates and controls gaming in Tasmania. It is an independent statutory authority but receives operational support from the Gaming Operations Branch of the Tasmanian Department of Treasury and Finance.

It has a comprehensive website with sections for legislation and policy, research, frequently asked questions, media releases, licensing and other matters.

The paper outlines proposed legislation and seeks input into the process of regulating the industry. The Office of Racing, Gaming and Liquor administers WA legislation dealing with these areas and carries out many of the operational functions of the Gaming Commission , including the provision of licensing, inspection and audit functions in respect of both casino and permitted gaming services. They include discussions of policy options, legal issues and responses, State views and technical measures.

It has chapters on the legal framework, recent developments, social policy and emerging issues. Gambling on the Internet is a report presented to the Conference of the International Association of Gambling Regulators.

In the United Kingdom an independent review body was established to design a new regulatory structure for the gambling industry. The Gambling Review page contains the Final Report and links to other documents. The former organisation, in conjunction with the Centre for Regional Economic Analysis at the University of Tasmania, produces the annual Australian Gambling Statistics.

This data is not directly available online, although figures derived from the series can be obtained from the following:. The Australian Bureau of Statistics' site contains a large range of information on Australian gambling. This is in the form of press releases, some articles, and the main features or summaries of their statistical series publications. They include:. The Australian Institute for Gambling Research contains fact sheets, news, links and a review of regulatory structures.

The Institute is based at the University of Western Sydney. An Australian bibliography on gambling compiled by J.

Morrison, R. Lynch and A. Veal is available from this page. Online gambling is regulated by the Australian government under the Interactive Gambling Act This Act is regulated by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, and prohibits online gambling, with the exception of Australian licensed companies providing race and sports betting services, and supplying lottery tickets.

Find out more. Gambling advertising during the broadcast of live sport in Australia is covered by a number of rules approved by the Australian Communications and Media Authority ACMA. These Codes of Practice prohibit gambling advertisements being shown during the broadcast of live sport on free TV, pay TV and radio.

The ban applies from five minutes before the live sports event commences, during the event and for five minutes after the event has concluded. The ban applies between 5 am and 8. After 8. Advertisements for racing and lotteries are exempt from these restrictions. ACMA is also responsible for prohibiting gambling advertisements during the online streaming of live sport. Sometimes an On-course Bookmaker will be licensed to offer fixed-odds betting on racing only.

Gaming machines are offered in casinos, hotels and clubs. Gaming machines in WA can only be offered in the casino. Bingo is often regarded as minor gaming and may be conducted for fundraising or charitable purposes, typically by a community or other not-for-profit organisation. A State or Territory Licence is typically required to operate a bingo centre in the relevant jurisdiction.

Each State and Territory has a relevant Casino Control Act or similar legislation under which casino Licences have been issued. There are currently 14 casino Licences on issue, with a process underway for the expected development of an integrated resort and casino in northern Qld. A casino Licence permits the relevant casino to typically offer traditional table games and gaming machines. There is co-mingling of State and Territory totalisator pools through pooling arrangements, with three Australian totalisator pools currently in existence.

Retail operations are typically conducted using authorised agents and distribution licensing arrangements. Corporate Bookmakers offer online and telephone fixed-odds betting on racing, sports and other approved events and totalisator derivative betting on racing. All fantasy betting typically occurs through Corporate Bookmakers in Australia.

On-course Bookmakers holding an On-course Bookmaker Licence offer fixed-odds betting at racecourses and, where appropriately licensed, over the telephone and via the internet.

Similar to State and Territory Licences issued to TABs for the purposes of Retail Wagering, most lotteries Licences are also currently sole Licences enabling lottery tickets and other lottery products including instant lottery tickets to be sold in retail through newsagencies and other approved retail venues and also online in some jurisdictions.

There are often strict local government planning requirements which must be met in relation to gaming machines. Such Licences often require the licensee to comply with complex national standards, as adopted by the relevant State or Territory.

The processes are generally quite extensive, and it can sometimes take up to 12 months or longer for State and Territory gambling regulators to complete, in relation to new applicants seeking major Licences. Casino Licences can typically only be applied for through a competitive tender process run by the relevant State or Territory. The same applies in relation to Retail Wagering Licences and also lotteries and keno Licences.

The number of Licences available is limited typically only one per State and Territory, except in the case of current casino Licences held in each of Qld, NT and NSW and the processes are very infrequent.

An application for a Corporate Bookmaker Licence issued in the NT, or an application for an On-course Bookmaker Licence, typically takes between three and six months for approval and can be made at any time.

There is no prescribed maximum number of Licences which can be issued; however, in a practical sense there are limitations in respect of the number of On-course Bookmaker Licences which could be issued. The same applies in relation to any permit required to operate bingo. The number of gaming machines available in each State and Territory is strictly regulated.

In the case of a casino, it will depend upon the relevant casino Licence. All Licences are subject to strict restrictions as set out in the relevant legislation and also, typically, separate Licence conditions and agreements with the licensing bodies.

A breach of a Licence condition often triggers a breach of the relevant legislation, and vice versa. The main restriction of an operator Licence relates to what gambling activity can be offered and through which channel.

Other restrictions include the usual requirement for regulatory approval of a new product, financial and other reporting to government and other relevant gambling regulators, strict advertising restrictions including in relation to inducements to open accounts and, in some jurisdictions, to gamble and responsible gambling obligations.

In the case of Retail Wagering Licences, in some jurisdictions there are requirements to maintain contractual arrangements with the local racing industry including for the payment of fees. Corporate Bookmakers and On-course Bookmakers have similar Licence restrictions, although generally these are not as prescriptive as an operator Licence.

A key obligation of a Corporate Bookmaker Licence is generally the requirement to establish a physical place of business in the NT thereby providing economic benefit to the NT, in addition to the Licence application fee, renewal fees and taxes , notwithstanding that most Corporate Bookmakers have head offices in other jurisdictions such as NSW or Vic.

A key obligation of an On-course Bookmaker in a number of jurisdictions is that the bookmaker must maintain a physical office on-course, even on days when racing is not occurring.

In Australia, gambling harm issues are often associated with gaming machines and the Licence restrictions relating to the operation of gaming machines include more detailed responsible gambling obligations. These restrictions necessarily extend to the design, functionality and support required from gaming machine and other equipment manufacturers, software developers and technical services suppliers.

Any permit required for bingo is generally subject to very basic restrictions usually in relation to approved rules. Bingo is considered low risk from a responsible gambling perspective. The duration of major operator Licences depends upon the legislative framework in the relevant State or Territory and is subject to possible change upon a Licence renewal or new Licence being issued.

There are various current casino Licences which are perpetual, whereas a number of others currently expire between and In relation to wagering and betting, apart from Vic and NT where the Licences expire in and , respectively and WA where Retail Wagering and betting is operated by the State but is currently being considered for privatisation, with a formal process now underway , the expiry dates of current Retail Wagering Licences are also similarly long-dated and range between and In the case of lotteries, aside from Tas where the Licence expires in and WA where lotteries are owned and operated by the State , the expiry dates are generally shorter than in relation to Retail Wagering; however, they still range between and Keno, as a similar product to lotteries, has a similar Licence duration.

The vulnerability of the above Licences to revocation or suspension is low. It is rare for material proceedings or other materially adverse action to be initiated by gambling regulators against major licensees. Please include in this answer any material promotion and advertising restrictions. Casino Licences provide that casinos are only permitted to offer casino games and gaming machines to patrons present within the casino.

It is illegal to offer online casino gambling in Australia. The Vic Licence includes not only wagering and betting but also the right to conduct a betting exchange. Corporate Bookmakers can offer fixed-odds betting on racing, sport and other approved events online and over the telephone. They typically also offer totalisator derivative type wagering. On-course Bookmakers offer substantially the same fixed-odds betting on-course and, subject to approval, also over the telephone and in some instances online.

Lotteries licensees can offer their approved lottery products through retail newsagencies, other approved retail venues, third-party agents and also online.

Keno licensees can offer their products through retail venues, online in-venue only in the case of NSW and online in the case of the ACT. Hotels and clubs are permitted to provide approved gaming machines in the licensed premises. There are comprehensive Federal, State and Territory advertising restrictions which apply to the lawful advertising of gambling services.

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