Intralot Australia was awarded a ten-year license in 2007 to run a live, state-wide bingo game with tickets sold at retailers. Numbers were due to be drawn on television at eight o’clock in the evening on Sundays but the game was moved to Melbourne radio station 3AW last weekend after no commercial television network could be found to show the programme.

“The Victorian Commission On Gambling Regulation determined Intralot breached its licence for failing to broadcast the drawing of ‘TV Bingo’ and has recommended that the Government take disciplinary action,” said Tony Robinson, Gaming Minister for Victoria.

“By failing to broadcast the ‘TV Bingo’ draw on television, Intralot is conducting a public lottery that is different to that authorised by the licence.”

Intralot is also set to receive a letter of censure for failing to comply with the conditions of its licence while Robinson revealed that the licence conditions would be amended to prevent ongoing contraventions by removing the obligation to televise the game.

“This is the first time in Victoria the Government has ever fined a lottery licence holder,’ said Robinson.

‘We regard this as a significant breach of the licence condition.’

This is the latest problem for Intralot since its entry into the Victorian market last year. Retailers have complained of lost revenues through faulty technology, complicated games and poor marketing while the government is set to receive $265 million in tax this financial year from lottery games, which is $8.5 million less than under previous operator Tattersall’s.

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As part of the plan, the state will produce educational kits and DVDs to help identify addictive gambling behaviours with specific strategies targetting Vietnamese, Arabic, Greek, Italian and aboriginal communities.

First presented to over 100 counsellors at the New South Wales Problem Gambling Counsellors Conference in Sydney last week by Gaming Minister Kevin Greene, the plan is to go by the name of Gambling Help and has been welcomed by Australian problem gambling charities and religious groups.

“The Rees Government is committed to tackling problem gambling early, before problems worsen and this £1.2 million investment is a key part of those efforts,” said Greene.

“For example, right now the Rees Government funds 43 problem gambling counselling services in more than 200 places across New South Wales as well as the G-Line phone service and a range of support materials online and they all have different names.

“We’re acting so all these services come under one single name and logo, Gambling Help, to make it easier for them to be found at the time when people need them the most. This new strategy works as a whole to help people identify early signs so they can seek help before they develop a serious problem.”

“Mission Australia shares the community’s concerns about the prevalence of gambling in our society and the impact it is having on individuals and families,’’ said John Brett from family and community services charity Mission Australia.

“There’s no single ‘silver bullet’ answer and there are a range of responses we need to assist problem gamblers and the latest Government initiative is a step in this direction.”

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Eric Roozendaal, Treasurer for Australia’s most populous state, revealed that the Government would retain the New South Wales Lotteries’ brands and intellectual property as valuable assets for the community at the expiration of any licence.

“Issuing a licence for the operation of New South Wales Lotteries means public funds can better be directed to priorities such as health, transport and education,” said Roozendaal.

“These funds will come from the proceeds of issuing the licence and the continuing receipt of duties.

“As a strong and resilient business, New South Wales Lotteries is a compelling investment opportunity. We are encouraged by the high degree of interest from prospective buyers of the licence.”

While the final terms of any transaction have yet to be determined, the Government revealed that it intends to issue an exclusive licence of approximately 30 years providing for the distribution of key lottery products in New South Wales with the exception of keno.

Roozendaal said that lottery distribution models used in other jurisdictions had been considered and revealed that the next step would be to solicit feedback from prospective licensees, key stakeholders and the public on the proposed changes. He stated that formal preparations had already begun with the state expected to begin its tender process over the second half of the year.

“We believe a sole-distributor model has proven to be the most efficient distribution model for lotteries and is, therefore, in the best interests of the community,” said Roozendaal.

“The views of key stakeholders, including employees and New South Wales Lotteries agents would continue to be an important consideration. The fair and equitable treatment of these stakeholders has been central to our deliberations and we intend to ensure their needs are considered.”

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The proposals include the creation by the Australian Communications And Media Authority (ACMA) of a blacklist of sites purveying unspecified ‘unwanted content’ due to be blocked.

A rough draft of this blacklist was recently leaked to the media and included 1,300 websites that are already blocked by the ACMA because they feature child pornography, rape, incest and bestiality materials. However, the list also contained mistakes such as a site for a Brisbane-based dentist alongside that for a Queensland kennel operator.

Stephen Conroy, Communications Minister for new Australian Prime Minster Kevin Rudd, was recently forced to admit that the proposed blacklist contained mistakes. His admission came as part of a television appearance after more than 2,000 viewers sent in questions regarding the censorship plans.

The Internet Gambling Act of 2001 already makes it unlawful for Internet service providers to supply gambling services to customers in Australia but the industry has thrived despite this prohibition. Online poker in the nation would be dealt a considerable blow if the Rudd Government has its way with numerous Internet advocay groups vowing to fight the implementation of any such filtering system.

“At a time when the Government is cutting services to fight inflation, it’s bewildering that they would decide to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on a filter before feasibility trials are even complete,’ said Colin Jacobs, spokesperson for online advocacy group Electronic Frontiers Australia.

‘Given the manifest impracticality of the clean feed scheme, I’m sure this money could have been put to much better use.’

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The Treasurer for Tasmania, Michael Aird, said the new measures were prepared following consultation with community and industry groups and included amendments to the Gaming Control Act of 1993.

“These new measures will ensure Tasmania has the best harm minimisation practices in Australia,” said Aird.

“The consumer protection measures are aimed at protecting all gamblers not just problem gamblers. The current voluntary code of practice for gambling will be replaced by a mandatory code.”

The councillor revealed that the new measures would enhance restrictions on access to gambling by minors, place further restrictions on access to cash in gaming venues and impose mandatory codes to improve gaming environments.

In addition, there will be enhanced training requirements for gaming staff in identifying problem gamblers, improvements in making game information available to players and restrictions placed on inducements such as free food, drinks and games.

The new measures will also align penalties for gaming with those for the licensing of alcohol, strengthen the exclusions regime for self-excluded gamblers, enhance education for at-risk groups, review the effectiveness of the state’s gambling support helpline, tighten bet limitations from ten dollars to five dollars for gaming machines, impose a maximum cash payout amount of $1,000 for all Keno and EGM winnings and reduce the current cash input limit on EGMs to $500.

Aird reported that the state government had been mindful of areas needing national attention in developing the new measures and revealed that a Productivity Commission report into problem gambling was due at the end of the year.

“We support the principles behind smart technology and machine intervention strategies,” said Aird.

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