7 May, 2021
Government should focus on data sharing between operators, Suicide Prevention Australia says.
The nonprofit dedicated to preventing suicide is worried about the exchange of confidential customer information that takes place between businesses.
Online gambling and the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 are now being examined by the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communication.
If the law is changed, gambling service providers may no longer take credit cards, and those who do so will be subject to fines.
Suicide Prevention Australia claims that while the reforms are positive, restricting credit card use is insufficient to address the problem of compulsive gambling.
According to the organisation, when a customer stops betting with one firm, their information is simply swapped with another, and they are then specifically targeted with offers or incentives.
Suicide Prevention Australia has urged the government to strengthen privacy laws for gaming businesses and to outlaw operators sharing or selling consumer information across the sector.
It also made note of the possibility that customers would stop using legitimate suppliers in favour of unlawful offshore gaming if credit cards are outlawed.
Suicide Prevention Australia has discovered that illicit gaming operators have been concealing their businesses by utilising third-party payments.
