Australia’s gambling self-exclusion register nears 10,000 sign-ups
27th October 2023 10:45 am GMT
Australia’s national gambling self-exclusion register BetStop has received almost 10,000 registrations since going live in August.
The majority of registrants are under 40 years of age and the most common registration period is for a lifetime, according to the Ministry of Social Services, while more than 1,200 people have also been nominated as support persons – people who have been put forward by registered users as someone who can help them get through their self-exclusion period.
“The Albanese Government is committed to minimising the harms associated with gambling online,” said Communications Minister Michelle Rowland MP. “That’s why we launched BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register – in August this year as the final measure of the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering. It’s fantastic to see BetStop making a big difference to nearly 10,000 Australians.”
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth MP added: “Our government is focused on preventing and minimising the harm caused by online wagering and we’ve taken a number of positive steps towards achieving that goal.
“It’s great that BetStop is already having such a positive impact, along with our other measures such as new evidence-based taglines that Australians would have seen on rotation on their screens and radios.”
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is currently monitoring compliance by the gambling industry with BetStop to ensure self-excluded individuals are not able to open new accounts and do not receive marketing materials.
Complementing BetStop, the Australian government has also introduced mandatory pre-verification that requires wagering companies to verify a customer’s identity when they register for a new account and before they can place a bet.
“Pre-verification is also assisting in ensuring people aren’t finding workarounds to bet if they have opted to exclude themselves from online wagering,” continued Rishworth. “We know minimising the harm caused by online wagering is not a set and forget exercise and our government is working closely with our state and territory counterparts on what comes next now all measures under the National Consumer Protection Framework have been implemented.”
