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Australia

Australia: NATIONAL RESEARCH REVEALS ONLINE HABITS DOUBLE IN A DECADE

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A two-year gambling study has revealed more Australians than ever are reaching for their phone to have a punt, with the number of online gamblers doubling in the past decade.

The Second National Study of Interactive Gambling in Australia surveyed more than 15,000 Australians and found 17.5 per cent of adults had gambled online in 2019, up from 8.1 per cent in 2010.

The study, funded by Gambling Research Australia, found that overall gambling participation decreased from 64.3 per cent in 2010, to 56.9 per cent in 2019.

Professor Nerilee Hing, from CQUniversity’s Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory said Australia’s most popular forms of online gambling were lotteries (10.1 per cent of adults), race betting (5.9 per cent) and sports betting (5.8 per cent).

“This growth in online gambling has been driven by faster internet speeds, the convenience of betting on smartphone apps, extensive advertising and inducements, and new betting options like multi-bets,” Professor Hing said.

“New online activities have also been introduced, including e-sports, fantasy sports, skin gambling, and loot boxes.”

The study found the average online gambler was likely to be a young male, better educated than the average Australian, in a de facto relationship, and to gamble across multiple activities.

The Commonwealth and State/Territory Governments are currently implementing the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering (the National Framework).

The intent of the National Framework is to bring Australian consumer protection measures up to date, to ensure they reflect best practice nationally, and are consistent across jurisdictions. The National Framework consists of 10 consumer protection measures that aim to reduce gambling harm.

This was also the first national study to examine the negative consequences of gambling for gamblers, their family and friends.

Overall, 9.1 per cent of Australian adults experienced some level of harm from their own gambling and 6.0 per cent from another person’s gambling. Online gamblers were twice as likely as land-based only gamblers to experience harm.

The findings from this study will further inform online gambling policy and consumer protection measures across Australia.

Gambling Research Australia is a national gambling research partnership between Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, and chaired by the NSW Government. GRA funds projects of national significance and contributed more than $1 million towards the Second National Study of Interactive Gambling in Australia.

CQUniversity’s Experimental Gambling Research Laboratory is a research initiative to support understanding of games of chance, through experiment, simulation, and observation.

Second National Study of Interactive Gambling in Australia researchers included CQUniversity team members Dr Alex Russell, Professor Matthew Rockloff, Professor Matthew Browne, Nancy Greer and Vijay Rawat, International researcher Dr Anne Salonen (National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland), Associate Professor Nicki Dowling and Dr Stephanie Merkouris (Deakin University), Dr Matthew Stevens (Charles Darwin University), Associate Professor Daniel King (Flinders University), and Linda Woo (former Executive Director of Policy and Projects, Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General).

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Australia

Gaming Compliance Checks Underway Across Regional NSW

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Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) is conducting a compliance operation across regional NSW throughout March to ensure venues adhere to gaming regulations that promote responsible gambling and reduce harm.

Inspectors will visit clubs and hotels to ensure venues understand and comply with external gambling signage rules and recent changes to requirements for the location of ATMs and cash dispensing facilities.

They will also check that venues have appointed Responsible Gambling Officers, maintained Gambling Incident Registers and adhered to Gaming Plans of Management.

L&GNSW Acting Executive Director of Regulatory Operations Bernadette Beard said the operation is part of an ongoing effort to work with venues to ensure responsible gambling laws are upheld.

“Our compliance operation is well underway, with inspectors visiting venues across regional NSW to ensure they are aware of their obligations,” Ms Beard said.

“A key focus will be on the gaming reforms that took effect on January 1, 2025, which mandate that ATMs and other cash dispensing facilities must be positioned at least five metres from gaming room entrances or exits and kept out of sight from gaming areas and machines,” Jakob Rothwangl said.

Ms Beard said recent inspections in Sydney and other metropolitan areas have identified multiple venues not following the rules, leading to penalties where necessary.

“Since the new cash dispensing rules were introduced, L&GNSW has visited more than 900 clubs and hotels, issuing 53 cautions and three penalty infringement notices to 44 non-compliant venues, with several others under investigation,” Ms Beard said.

“We’re here to assist venues in meeting their responsibilities, but compliance is essential, and enforcement action will be taken where required.”

The post Gaming Compliance Checks Underway Across Regional NSW appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Australia

Crown Resorts Announces Ed Domingo as New CEO of Crown Melbourne

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Crown Resorts has announced the appointment of Mr. Ed Domingo as the new CEO of Crown Melbourne, succeeding Mr. Mike Volkert, subject to regulatory approvals.

Mr. Volkert is stepping down from his role as CEO of Crown Melbourne to pursue an opportunity outside of Crown. He served as the CEO for the past two and a half years.

Mr. Domingo brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and casino industry. Most recently, he served as the President & COO of Empire City Casino in New York with MGM Resorts International, where he oversaw all day-to-day operations of the resort.

Previously, Mr. Domingo was the Senior Vice President & CFO of Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, the premier luxury resort for MGM Resorts International. His extensive leadership experience also includes roles with Caesars Entertainment and Rush Street Gaming, providing him with deep industry knowledge across several gaming jurisdictions.

Mr. Domingo will begin with Crown Melbourne in late April, with Mr. Volkert continuing to serve as CEO until that time, ensuring a smooth transition.

Crown Resorts CEO, David Tsai, said: “Ed has a proven track record in leading integrated resorts, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Crown Melbourne. With his extensive industry experience across various gaming jurisdictions, Ed is well-positioned to lead Crown Melbourne’s next phase of growth and success.

“I would also like to extend my gratitude to Mike for his invaluable contribution over the past two and a half years, including his leadership in our transformation journey.”

Mr. Domingo said: “I am incredibly excited to join Crown Melbourne, which has held an iconic role in Melbourne’s entertainment and tourism landscape for 30 years. I look forward to joining the thousands of amazing team members there and leading Crown Melbourne’s next phase of transformation and growth, bringing innovative venues to life and creating dynamic experiences for our guests, all while operating at industry-leading standards.”

Crown Melbourne Chairman, Ian Silk, said: “I would like to thank Mike for his leadership and dedication to Crown Melbourne over the last two and a half years. Ed is a highly accomplished and experienced executive with proven success at similar organisations, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact of his leadership.”

The post Crown Resorts Announces Ed Domingo as New CEO of Crown Melbourne appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Australia

ACMA Blocks More Illegal Online Gambling Websites

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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has requested the Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block more illegal online gambling sites, after investigations found these services to be operating in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

The latest sites blocked include Crown slots and Billy billion.

Website blocking is one of a range of enforcement options to protect Australians against illegal online gambling. Since the ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019, 1178 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked.

Around 220 illegal services have also pulled out of the Australian market since the ACMA started enforcing new illegal online gambling rules in 2017.

The post ACMA Blocks More Illegal Online Gambling Websites appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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