South Australian government critical of federal online gambling amendments

John Rau, the South Australian government consumer minister, has criticised changes to online sports betting laws at federal government and other states levels, saying these are “cosmetic and inadequate”.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Rau said that the provincial government wants an end to online betting advertising during sports events, which he claims are “normalising” gambling behaviour to the populace.

“There’s very disturbing evidence about the rate at which young people are becoming normalised to the notion of gambling,” he said. “Our view is that there should be no more space in sporting events that are televised for impulse gambling then there should be for alcohol or cigarettes.”

State and federal ministers meet again in Melbourne on Friday to continue working on the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering, but Rau said progress has so far been “too slow”.

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