Australia will commence a twelve-month review into online keno and offshore lotteries, the government has announced. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Online lotteries to face review

The Australian government has announced that it will conduct a review into online keno and offshore lotteries in a bid to minimize gambling harm. The move comes after the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications recommended a 12-month review of lotteries, which fall under the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001.

The government released an issues paper along with the announcement which outlines the specific steps the review will take and its intended outcomes. These include consultations with gambling charities, academics, regional governments, and industry figures.

potential policy options including credit and digital payment bans

Adverse experiences such as loss of deposits and failure to receive winnings will also be considered, along with potential policy options including credit and digital payment bans.

In addition, the review pledges to re-examine the definition of an “extended lottery service” of the 2001 act, to see whether it is still fit for purpose or requires updating to match the evolution of lottery products.

Lotteries growing in Australia

Keno has long been popular in venues such as bars in Australia, but has been increasingly moving online. The country has also seen growth in foreign-matched lotteries which permit access to draws conducted overseas. A similar model which allowed Australians to access foreign lotteries by wagering on the results was banned in 2019.

The growth and availability of online keno and foreign-matched lotteries is particularly concerning.”

Minister for communications Michelle Rowland said: “The Albanese Government has a comprehensive agenda to minimise online wagering harms. The growth and availability of online keno and foreign-matched lotteries is particularly concerning.”

“Feedback will ensure any changes the Government may make are well-balanced and fit-for-purpose, and the Terms of Reference will help guide any future changes Government might make.”

Australia continuing gambling reform

The review comes during a climate of increasing scrutiny of the gambling industry in Australia, with an increasing number of regulations having come into force. Last month, the government issued a ban on gambling with credit cards, digital currencies, and other credit-related products.

Additional measures that have come into place also include a requirement for identity verification for new gambling accounts, and the launch of BetStop, a national register for gambling self-exclusion which has seen thousands of Australians sign up in its first year of operation.

Social services minister Amanda Rishworth MP said: “Our Government takes gambling harm seriously and we are committed to protecting consumers, including their families and the community, from gambling-related harm.”

“Our Government has already taken major steps to minimize and combat the increasing prevalence of people experiencing gambling harm in Australia and will continue to do so,” she added.