Gambling Archives - Consumers' Federation of Australia

21 May , 2024

Latest ACCC report finds consumers lack visibility and choice over data collection practices

Consumers generate data in almost all aspects of their lives as many activities that were once anonymous are now subject to detailed data collection, such as restaurants that require customers to order via a QR code and input personal details. The latest Digital Platform Services Inquiry report published today, highlights that consumers are generally unaware how much…

22 April , 2024

Financial Counselling Industry Fund Launches

More Australians will now have access to support from financial counsellors with the launch of the Financial Counselling Industry Fund (FCIF). The FCIF is the result of a collaboration between the financial counselling sector and a number of industries and companies – Australian Banking Association member banks, Australian Energy Council, Energy Networks Australia, Insurance Council…

12 March , 2024

FCA Calls for In-Program Gambling Ads to be Removed from Survivor

“This is completely inappropriate,” said Lauren Levin, The Director of Policy and Campaigns at FCA. “It was shown at a time when children would be watching. ‘Set for Life’ is exposing children to a gambling product and we know gambling can be very harmful.”

One of the contestants won a challenge and part of her prize was a ‘Set for Life’ package worth $60,000. The logo was displayed a number of times during show segments and the product was also mentioned on numerous occasions throughout the episode.

27 February , 2024

BetStop a Good Start but Expansion is Needed

“No one should come off BetStop and be able to gamble without a sensible deposit limit in place. Right now, a person can revoke the self-exclusion and the following day they can bet $100,000 which is clearly absurd,” Ms Levin said.

The new BetStop data shows that 1400 people have revoked their self-exclusion, and this group are most at risk.

13 October , 2023

‘Not harmless fun’ – Advocates Call for Credit Card Ban to Extend to Scratchies and Lottery Tickets

“If lotteries get this carve-out and people can use credit cards, it will be the thin edge of the wedge. They will then get carve-outs from future advertising and inducement reforms. We’ll regret this mistake when lotteries are advertised day and night and people increasingly spend large sums of money.”

Ms Levin said lotteries were no longer harmless fun as portrayed by providers. They were now also a far cry from the benign, government-owned public sweeps that we remember from childhood, and which had legislation that mandated donating money to charitable causes.

18 September , 2023

FCA on the Credit and Crypto Gambling Ban

“This legislation is terrific,” Ms Levin said. “We’re delighted that it covers not only credit cards, but also digital wallets and digital currencies.”
Ms Levin said the one area of disappointment was a carve-out for online lotteries.

13 September , 2023

Gambling-Related Suicides on Rise

Federal and State Governments must introduce significant gambling harm reforms in the wake of new research that indicates a significant percentage of suicides across Australia are related to gambling.

12 September , 2023

“The sky didn’t fall in”

Lauren’s eye-opening presentation on gambling harm prevention demonstrates just how much Australian regulators and politicians can learn from their European counterparts.

29 August , 2023

FCA Welcomes BetStop, Calls for Register to Extend Further

Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) has welcomed the start of Australia’s first online gambling exclusion register, while at the same time calling on governments to expand the facility to casinos, pokies and lotteries.
“We started advocating for this in 2015 and didn’t give up, because we always knew that an online gambling self-exclusion register would help a lot of people,” Ms Levin said.

“Now we call on the state premiers to make BetStop a national register for all forms of gambling, including casinos, pokies, and lotteries. It’s not rocket science to simply give people the protection that they are asking for.”

25 August , 2023

Join CPRC and CFA for a Briefing by Lauren Levin on the EU and UK Approach to Gambling Harm Prevention

As part of Churchill Fellowship Award, Lauren spent eight weeks across eight countries in Europe and UK, meeting with gambling regulators, banks, Financial Ombudsman Services, academics, others in the gambling harm prevention ecosystem and attended an international gambling industry convention to gain insight into what the gambling industry is doing and anticipating. In this special webinar,…

30 June , 2023

ACMA Names Consumer Protections a Priority for 2023-24

Minimising gambling harm, combating SMS scams, tackling online supply of dodgy devices and enforcing spam unsubscribe rules have been identified as some of the key compliance priorities for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in 2023–24.

29 June , 2023

Financial Counsellors Welcome Proposal to Ban Gambling Ads and Inducements

Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) welcomes the recommendations made by a Government inquiry into online gambling harm, saying the committee has heard the concerns of financial counsellors and the community, and responded.