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Australia May Fully Legalize Online Gambling

The November 17, 2009, By CasinosTopNews

The Australian Productivity Commission, an independent advisory board for microeconomic reform in Australia, released a draft of a report that may signal the legalization of online gambling in Australia.

The draft, which was over 600 pages, lists a number of recommendations for reform, including the recommendation that the federal government repeal the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act.

Australia's Interactive Gambling Act made it illegal for online gambling sites and online casinos to offer services within Australia. The legislation did not ban Australian players from playing at online gambling sites. However, it did prosecute companies that offered online casinos in Australia.

The report draft of the Australian Productivity Commission stated that this 2001 Interactive Gambling Act should be repealed. In its place should be a system of management and regulation of Australian online gambling. The system proposed is similar to what is in place in Norway, where a single player's monthly gambling losses are capped at a maximum monthly amount. A liberalization of Australian online gambling laws could be a huge step forward for the microeconomic situation in the country.

Anti-gambling activists in Australia, including Reverend Tim Costello and Senator Nick Xenophon from South Australia oppose the recommendation.

It is important to point out that this draft is not an official government document. However, the recommendations of the productivity commission usually weigh heavily on the Australian federal government. Therefore, it is likely that this recommendation will indeed lead to steps to fully legalize and regulate online casinos and online gambling in Australia.

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