Regulation Picks Up Down Under with Empowering Addiction Protection

The massive province of Australia has struggled to work out its regulation rough spots, with the efforts becoming more and more educational with each new round of legislation. 

Protecting Problem Gamblers

With the operational priority in Australia established to protect against problem gambling, a new set of regulations is set to come into effect as soon as possible, with local state government required to enforce the new federally mandated statutes as well. 

Comprehensive Reform

The legislation is spread across a full 11 measures to protect players, including the banning of online gambling operators from the competitively offering different sign-up incentives to lure customers, and prohibition of lines of credit.

Making Strong Productive

The sweeping set of reforms reflect Australia’s seriousness about protecting problem gamblers. Hopefully, the strong measures are the most effective measures as well, and more than just a proverbial strong show of force. 

The Power of Self-Exclusion

Australia’s legislation brings the mechanism of self-exclusion comes to the forefront as a way for problem gamblers to self-manage their addiction.   

Sitting It Out

The Australian model calls for gambling customers to join what is called an “online gambling self-exclusion register” generated and maintained by the Australian government for a period of their choice with a three-month minimum.

Allure

This is an interesting component because it provides a kind of instant response to a cry for help: whenever problem gamblers feel themselves losing control, they can hit the eject button through self-exclusion. Granted, the nature of addiction often is accompanied by a false psychological sense of invincibility. However, an educative program providing warning signs and a quick response mechanism such as the register intrigues as a way to proactively assist a decent portion of problem gamblers from avoiding relapse while educating more gamblers about how to avoid problem gambling behaviour. 

Monitoring Results

Granted, it takes time to optimize outcomes to meet ideals: the Australian government is poising to monitor results of their preventative efforts through requirements in new legislation for state and federal governments to jointly monitor and research problem gambling issues affecting country residents.

A New Page

Until now known mostly for being clunky, the new Australian regulation model has real potential to turn a new corner with this socially conscious component as an operational priority.