State and Territory Governments have the primary responsibility for the regulation of gambling in Australia.
In the past decade State and Territory Governments have introduced a wide range of measures to reduce the incidence of gambling related harm through various mechanisms including:
- Legislative and Regulatory changes; and
- Voluntary or Mandatory Codes of Practice implemented and administered by government regulators and/or industry stakeholders.
In general over the past five years, States and Territories have spent more than $200 million on responsible gambling and harm minimisation. This includes telephone and face-to-face counselling services, public awareness and education, campaigning, research, intervention strategies, partnerships with community groups and support for individuals and families.
The regulatory environment
Providing a snapshot of harm minimisation measures in Australia is not an easy task. Regulatory and legislative environments across States and Territories differ considerably and are continually evolving. For example, New South Wales has made significant amendments to legislation governing the use and operation of gaming machines. In November 2009, the Tasmanian Parliament passed a number of legislative amendments in response to a social and economic impact study into gambling.
This is largely a reflection of the history of the legalisation of gambling in each state and territory and the specific political context at the time. For example New South Wales has had electronic gaming machines in clubs since the 1950s, whereas in Victoria they were introduced as late as 1992. In Western Australia electronic gaming machines are confined to the Burswood Casino.