The current Internet Gambling Act (IGA) review in Australia should be cause for the industry to rejoice.  Instead, it has exposed a dysfunctional group of businesses unable to see past their own vested interests in order to better serve Aussie consumers.

The Internet Gambling Act was passed in 2001 and has failed to evolve with technological advances and changes in consumer trends.  Wide-reaching, the IGA prohibits online activities such as poker, casino games and in-play betting on sport.  Recently, it’s relevance and enforceability has come under increased scrutiny with the Federal Police refusing to investigate mobile in-play betting apps.

For the wagering industry, the review couldn’t come soon enough.  There are clear, hard-to-dispute issues in our industry that need addressing, namely:

1. Unlicensed operators don’t pay tax or race field fees in Australia, nor do they contribute to ensuring sport and racing integrity.