During a trial held in November, promotional materials for the Take a Break initiative were placed in 32 gambling establishments across South Australia. These posters included a QR code that, when scanned, directed users to an online form allowing them to self-exclude from gambling activities.
The Consumer and Business Services (CBS), a government agency for consumer protection, managed the forms and processed the submissions on the next business day. Participants had the option to specify which types of gambling they wanted to be excluded from upon registration.
Throughout the trial, 19 individuals chose to opt-out of gambling using the Take a Break system. CBS predicts that once the program goes live in every gaming venue throughout South Australia, this number will increase to 226 exclusion requests over a similar four-week span.
Among those who opted out, 11 were women and eight were men, with their ages ranging between 19 and 79. The duration of exclusion varied from three months to an indefinite period. Most of these individuals were first-time self-excluders, while 20% sought referrals to gambling support services.
This initiative is a collaboration between CBS, the Australian Hotels Association South Australia, and Clubs SA.
### Take a Break’s Expansion Before the Holiday Season
In a [statement regarding the program’s rollout](https://www.cbs.sa.gov.au/news/take-a-break-campaign-to-roll-out-across-sa), CBS highlighted the strategic timing of its expansion ahead of Christmas, aiming to shield consumers from increased gambling risks during the holiday break.
“We are extending the campaign statewide in time for Christmas, as the holiday period often witnesses a surge in gambling activities,” stated CBS. “Triggers such as financial pressure, family disputes, and substance use can lead to increased gambling.”
The initiative mainly targets individuals who might not feel ready to discuss their gambling issues but acknowledge the need for assistance. Besides self-exclusion, the systems in place in South Australia permit concerned individuals to apply for exclusion on behalf of someone else. Consumers can also reach out to the Gambling Help Online website for a private conversation with a live counselor.
### ACMA’s Actions Against Offshore Sites
Concurrently, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has recently [requested the blocking of six additional unauthorized online gambling websites](https://www.acma.gov.au/articles/2024-12/illegal-online-gambling-websites-blocked-december-2024).
Following an investigation, ACMA determined these websites were violating the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. Consequently, it has asked Australian internet service providers to restrict access to these sites.
The sites Eddy Vegas, Lucky Friends, Lucky Ones, MoonWin, Slottie, and SpinsUP were all found to be non-compliant with the Act.
Since ACMA initiated its first blocking request in November 2019, approximately 1,117 illegal gambling and affiliate websites have been blocked. Additionally, since ACMA began enforcing new regulations against illegal online gambling in 2017, over 220 unlawful services have ceased operations in Australia.