Response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry Report into Gambling: online gaming and the Interactive Gambling Act

The Productivity Commission recommended that Internet gambling be further liberalised, starting with online poker, and that regulation ensures strict probity and customer protection standards. Many international jurisdictions have struggled to implement effective Internet gambling policies and the effectiveness of Australia‟s current mixed prohibition and licensing stance has been questioned. There is a shortage of reliable and valid evidence regarding the nature of and participation in Internet gambling in Australia. Further research is required to assess the potential impact of liberalisation of Internet gambling. In particular, a comprehensive, evidence-based model is needed to regulate Internet gambling, including harm-minimisation and consumer protection features. Collaborative efforts would be highly useful to enable comprehensive research to be completed that would inform key stakeholders and assist in the formation of appropriate guidelines for effective Internet gambling policy. Internet gambling represents an important development in the gambling field. The dynamic nature and rapid growth of Internet gambling poses a challenge to policy makers, but must be addressed in an effective manner