Strict Gambling Regulations to Drive Aussies to Online Casinos

Posted on Jan 26, 2011 in Australia Casinos

The Australian government has decided to push against gambling and this has led to some recent developments in the Aussie gambling market. Australia’s biggest pokie machine manufacturer has warned the government that by going against gambling they would have to face difficult times as Australians may opt for gambling at online casinos.

Even though the Australian government has been against online gambling for the past ten years, it did not prohibit Australians from participating in gambling on offshore sites. Though the Australian government was very understanding of the gambling needs of its people, the government had a change of mind over the past years and banned online gambling. Even though it’s Productivity Commission suggested that regulating online gambling was better than banning it, the government was firm with its decision.

During a federal parliamentary inquiry, The Australian Leisure and Hospitality group has warned that over-regulation in gambling would make it impossible to prohibit problem gambling. The Spokesman of the company David Curry has expressed that strict measures on one form of gambling will only make way for people to use other forms of gambling. He also added that there are numerous opportunities out there (internet) for people and by the government over –regulating one form of gambling, people will go for other options and this would lead the government to face unintended consequences.

As a response to the warnings, Nick Xenophone a Senator who is well known for his anti-gambling position has replied stating that the comments of ALH is just a smokescreen and that the company has no understanding of the problem or that the company does not wish to understand the problem. He did not stop with that as he added that the company is showing intentional ignorance and that they also show severe lack of understanding in handling problem gambling.