Concerns over booming online keno industry emerge as Wells keeps quiet on Murphy report
As the government dithers on its response to gambling reforms proposed nearly 1,000 days ago, fresh concerns have surfaced about an unregulated billion dollar gaming market.
A federal department has called on the Albanese government to crack down on the multi-billion dollar online keno business over concerns a gap in anti-gambling laws is leaving addicts exposed to harm.
Nearly 1,000 days after a high profile parliamentary committee proposed sweeping new restrictions on the gambling industry, a separate Department of Communications report has surfaced raising new concerns about a new and unregulated gaming market.
The report warns that online keno products are not captured by federal laws banning the use of credit cards to pay for interactive wagering products. As such, Australians can use credit cards to play keno every three minutes, with anti-harm advocates reporting betting limits allow punters to spend as much as $20,000 an hour on games that traditionally were confined to casinos and clubs.
Since 2023, the Victorian, Northern Territory and ACT governments have licensed betting companies to run online keno games in exchange for a cut of the proceeds in taxes.
