Australian officers say more access to technology is likely to boost online gambling

The council met this week to discuss voluntary limits on the amount of money gambled by an individual and access to counseling services for troubled gamblers.
AGA

Advances in interactive technology could change the face of gambling in Australia, a meeting of the Ministerial Council on Gambling says. The council met in Brisbane on Friday to review national action on harm reduction in gambling.

A communique issued after the meeting said "that although only a small proportion of Australians currently use interactive gambling, rapid advances in technology including increased access to broadband, digital and pay TV and multi-platform 3G mobile phones have the potential to alter the shape of gambling in Australia".

The ministers agreed to consider strategies ahead of the expected increase in interactive and online gambling, including harm minimisation, voluntary pre-commitment systems to place a limit on the money gambled by an individual, the provision of responsible gambling information and access to counselling services.

Many of the same strategies have been under consideration or have been implemented in some states for other types of gambling.

Commonwealth, state and territory officials have spent the past 12 months developing national strategies on helping gamblers set limits, gaming machine standards and responsible gambling environments. The ministers undertook to develop a number of national standards on gambling over the next three years.