David Pocock, Kate Chaney demand Albanese take over gambling regulation
With states exploiting gaming law loopholes to raise more taxes, federal independents say its time for Anthony Albanese to stop dithering on gambling reform
Independent federal MPs are calling for Anthony Albanese to create a federal gambling regulator after the emergence of a multi-billion online keno industry completely outside of rules designed to protect problem gamblers.
Capital Brief revealed on Thursday that Victoria, the Northern Territory and the ACT had in recent years issued licences to gaming companies allowing them to offer 24-hour keno games drawn every three minutes, allowing punters to spend up to $20,000 per hour on the games.
But online keno is not subject to existing federal laws, meaning punters are free to gamble using credit cards and cannot avail themselves of the commonwealth’s BetStop self-exclusion laws, designed to help addicts withdraw from play.
The keno industry, reportedly turning over $1.8 billion in 2023 — up 18.7% from the previous year, has sprung up online over the past three or four years years — ironically during the same period that the Federal Government has failed to act on a parliamentary report recommending it create a federal gambling regulator.
