Reportedly, online betting operators had been targeting young people and compulsive gamblers by using unwanted advertising and encouragements.
The Deputy Premier and Attorney General of South Australia John Rau has been provoked by the above-mentioned trend of targeting more vulnerable individuals, so he threatened to reveal the names of online gambling companies that do not secure the needed proof of age information before their customers open an account with them. He also called for anyone who is concerned with these practices used by online gambling operators to contact the competent authorities.
In addition, Mr. Rau further called for stricter rules to be imposed on gambling advertising through social media. He also harshly criticised the long-used practice of making unsolicited calls to children or people who had experienced gambling problems and are currently banned from betting in licensed venues due to their gambling addiction.
As revealed by the South Australian Deputy Premier to the Parliament, he had received that some disturbing reports of online gambling companies’ malicious practices had got to him. Mr. Rau explained that the reports revealed that some operators used unsolicited advertising, reaching under-aged persons, as well as other vulnerable people, to encourage them to register an account with them and become active online gamblers.
According to him, unethical advertising techniques that involved luring customers with special promotions, as well as direct marketing by using cold canvassing and having no real proof of the age or identity of the customers they try to attract to open accounts with them. He shared that a person can easily open an account with an online gambling operator without or almost without any verification of their age or other details that are relevant to the registration.
In his opinion, establishing a betting account with an online gambling operator needs to be as hard as establishing a bank account, not to mention that he called for stricter rules to be imposed on gambling promotion. He criticised the system and current rules, under which online gambling services providers are given up to 90 days to verify the identity of a newly-signed customer, which was bad, as large amounts could be wagered before any verification is carried out.
Stricter Measures Must Be Taken against Unwanted Adverising
The Deputy Premier of South Australia urged the web-based gambling companies that operate across the country to make sure that they do thorough identity and age checks before a new customer’s account is opened. He also called them for stopping unsolicited advertising, especially the one aimed at children and problem gamblers.
Mr. Rau also urged any victims of unwanted online gaming operator’s advertising carried out in violation of local legislation to report such practices. As mentioned above, he also promised he would publicly reveal the names of any operators which have breached the rules.
Previously, the former judge Tim Anderson has initiated a thorough review of the state’s gambling sector. The review has already been sent to the State Government, but the results have not been officially revealed yet. For the time being, the State Government has not engaged itself with any promises of changes based on the recommendations made by Mr. Anderson. According to Mr. Rau, the delay was provoked by possible changes and a crackdown being considered at a national level.
- Author
Daniel Williams
