Commonsense gambling crackdown long overdue
OPINION: Having a punt or a wager is as Aussie as Vegemite.
The Melbourne Cup is the race that stops the nation, but there's increasing awareness of the impact of problem gambling, which is taking an enormous toll.
Australia has the highest rate of gambling losses per adult on the planet.
READ MORE: Qantas announces new CEO to take over Alan Joyce
Gambling is a problem issue for many Australians. Getty Images/iStockphoto
A total of $25 billion is lost every year.
Seven per cent of Australians are at risk of gambling harm and it's not just individuals — families are torn apart by gambling addicts who simply cannot stop, with far too many easy and accessible ways to lose the lot.
So it's good to see a commonsense crackdown on online gambling and credit cards.
READ MORE: MasterChef in limbo as world mourns Jock
Radio host Deb Knight has called for more action on online gambling. Instagram
As it stands, you cannot use a credit card to wager in casinos or pubs and clubs or for any land-based gambling at the TAB or on the pokies, and the ban has been in place for more than two decades.
But incredibly, credit cards have been allowed for online and app-based betting accounts, which are one of the biggest growth areas for punting, and one of the easiest to use.
An increasing number of young people have online gambling accounts, and having a punt on the races or the footy or even the colour of the prime minister's tie is considered a fun and social thing to do.
READ MORE: Recreational vaping to be banned under major health shake-up
The government is pushing forward with gambling reform. Getty
When people know when to cut their losses and stop, there's no harm done.
But it beggars belief that credit cards were ever allowed for online gambling.
It's betting with money you don't have, and if you can't pay the credit card bill, the debts spiral even further.
A federal parliamentary inquiry that called for the ban found that credit cards were used for 20 per cent of deposits into online wagering accounts.
It's a big problem.
Wagering services like Sportsbet, PointsBet and Ladbrokes are on board with the change, with new legislation to be introduced within months.
It's long overdue.
Now we just need NSW Premier Chris Minns to stump up and deliver cashless gaming for the pokies, which are a scourge that needs to be reined in.
Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
