New South Wales propose stiffer fines for inducements to gamble

Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) Liquor & Gaming Board has proposed reforms to liquor and gaming legislation with the tabling of an Amendment Bill in the NSW Lower House today (Tuesday).

The amendment proposes a ten-fold increase in penalties for betting service providers that offer inducements to gamble and who publish prohibited gambling advertising.

NSW racing minister Paul Toole said the imposition and payment of penalties had become “a cost of doing business” for betting operators rather than a deterrent.

The penalty, which currently stands at A$5,500, would increase to A$55,000 for corporations and A$11,000 for individuals.

In addition, measures place more accountability on casino operators regarding exclusion of customers and increase the authority’s powers to hold directors of betting service providers accountable for misconduct in their organisations.

Other measures include a freeze on new pokie machines particularly in disadvantaged suburbs.

In related news, William Hill Australia is under fire for failures in the Responsible Gambling Code having allowed a self-excluded customer to reopen his account and later failed to close one of three accounts after the same customer self-excluded twice more. In addition, the company continued to send the customer promotional material.

The Northern Territory Racing Commission fined the operator A$18,326 for the failures.