TAS: Camapigners call for ban on Internet gambling

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-1999
TAS: Camapigners call for ban on Internet gambling

By Don Woolford

HOBART, April 23 AAP - Anti-gambling campaigners, alarmed by another big rise in the amount
of money Australians pour into gaming machines, called today for a national ban on Internet
gambling.

Tim Costello and Nick Xenophon also warned that social misery would increase if state and
territory governments did not curb their greed for gambling revenue.

Figures released today by the Tasmanian Gaming Commission showed that Australia's lust for
gambling continued unabated last financial year.

They showed that a record $94.5 billion - or $6,835 per adult - was wagered and Australians
lost a total of $11.3 billion, or an average of $818 a person aged over 17, as they poured
money into pub and casino games and state and territory coffers.

The previous year they gambled almost $80 billion, losing just over $10 billion, or $736
per adult.

Total government gambling revenue was more than $3.8 billion, a rise of more than $400
million.

The figures were compiled from data provided by all state and territory gambling
authorities.

Mr Costello, spokesman for the National Gambling Reform Coalition, said the federal
government should immediately legislate to ban Internet gambling in Australia, at least until
the Productivity Commission finishes its gambling inquiry in August.

He said Internet gambling would be a quantum leap in gambling.

"You will be able to lose your home without leaving your home," he said.

Mr Costello said gambling was already devouring peoples' savings.

State and territory governments should realise it was immoral and socially irresponsible to
collect windfall taxes that caused such misery.

Every welfare and church body was reporting a rise in gambling related poverty, although
many coming for help would not admit gambling was the problem.

"They feel they are only one win away from solving their problems," he said.

"These days gambling addiction is much harder to admit to than alcohol or drug addiction."

Mr Xenophon, who won a seat in the South Australian upper house on an anti-gambling
platform, agreed that Internet gambling should be stopped.

He said it was time politicians stopped being mesmerised by all the revenue dollars and
realised that the price was terrible human misery.

It was obscene for the gambling industry to call itself a form of entertainment.

"We are not dealing with an ordinary product," Mr Xenophon said.

"We are dealing with an addiction that loses savings, homes and in some cases lives.

"We are at the crossroads. Either we rein it in, or we see an ever increasing human toll."

Mr Xenophon said gambling was a highly regressive form of tax, with most of the losses
suffered by those who could least afford it.

He knew of schools in Adelaide feeding children because their gambling parents didn't have
any money left for food.

The figures showed the biggest rise was in Victoria.

The biggest rise was in Victoria, up 24.47 per cent, with Queensland close behind.
Victorians were also the biggest gamblers, wagering almost $8,500 a head.

In Western Australia alone, the only state that doesn't allow gaming in pubs and clubs,
gambling declined.

Most money was lost in New South Wales, at $963 a head, followed by Victoria, $921.
Tasmanians were the lowest at $507.

As in the previous year, most of the increases were in gaming - which covers just about
every form of gambling except racing.

Racing turnover rose only 2.8 per cent nationally, arresting a slight decline in the
previous year, although there was a 13.8 per cent fall in Tasmania and a marginal one in NSW.
Gaming rose 20.4 per cent.

The figures also showed how heavily the states and territories rely on gambling revenue.

Total government gambling revenue was more than $3.8 billion, a rise of more than $400
million.

AAP dw/cjh/br

KEYWORD: GAMBLING NIGHTLEAD

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