BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register of Australian gambling, will undertake its first statutory review.
As confirmed by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, the government has appointed Richard Eccles to conduct the review, evaluating BetStop’s progress against its founding objectives.
BetStop came into existence in August 2023 to serve as a national, unified gambling self-exclusion scheme available across all six federal states.
The register is operated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), who, in 2022, were granted new federal controls on safer gambling duties across Australia.
As agreed by the gambling authorities/boards of the Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Tasmania, all licensed operators must register their player databases with BetStop, regardless of the state in which they are licensed.
The ACMA reports that since its launch in August 2023, over 30,000 Australians have signed up. Of these, 79% are aged 40 or younger, and 39% have opted for a lifetime ban, with around 23,000 people having active exclusions.
Based on current BetStop registrations and comparisons with similar programs, lifetime registrations for BetStop may have led to potential cost savings between $80 million and $135 million in the first year.
Richard Eccles, is a seasoned senior public sector leader with extensive experience in governance, executive management, and advisory roles. He brings relevant expertise from public health, online safety, and technology sectors.
Eccles will assess the regulatory framework of BetStop, ensuring its alignment with the Interactive Gambling (National Self-Exclusion Register) Rules 2022 and other relevant legislation. He is expected to deliver his final report and findings to the Minister for Communications within 18 months. The report will then be tabled in Parliament.
The review will include a public consultation process scheduled to open later in 2024. This will enable people who have registered with or interacted with BetStop to provide feedback on the program.
The feedback gathered will be considered for potential future changes to the scheme. The public consultation details will be made available on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts’ “Have Your Say” webpage in November 2024.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland commented: “There has been a massive take-up of BetStop in its first 12 months, making a meaningful difference and changing the lives of thousands of Australians and their families.
“We want to make sure BetStop is working as effectively as possible to protect vulnerable Australians from gambling harms – which is why my department is undertaking this review.
“I encourage people who’ve registered or interacted with BetStop to participate in our upcoming public consultation so we can take on your feedback to inform any future changes.”