Arabic version: مشروع قانون في الإقليم الشمالي يستهدف سقوف إيداعات المقامرة عبر الإنترنت

According to ABC News, an independent Northern Territory MLA’s private member’s bill would impose deposit caps and ban inducements for online bookmakers licensed in the Territory.

Justine Davis’s proposed laws would limit monthly deposits to $500 for customers aged 18 to 21 and $1,000 for those aged 22 to 24. Fifty online bookmakers, including Sportsbet, Ladbrokes and Bet365, are licensed in the NT, whose regulator acts as Australia’s de facto watchdog for the sector.

The bill would ban inducements such as bonus bets and VIP schemes, and require NT-licensed bookmakers to take “all reasonable steps to prevent harm to customers”. It would also raise the maximum disciplinary penalty from $194,000 to $10 million, or 10 per cent of annual revenue.

Further measures include advertising restrictions for material “likely to be available to children”, tougher conflict-of-interest rules for NT Wagering Commission members, a public register of declared conflicts and a prohibition on accepting gifts from bookmakers.

Davis is scheduled to introduce the bill to parliament next Wednesday. NT Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said the government would consider sensible proposals on their merits, while Deputy Opposition Leader Ed Smelt said Labor wanted the bill referred to the NT Legislative Scrutiny Committee.