BetStop Launches Nationwide in Australia to Support Safer Gambling

Australia has taken a significant step towards addressing the issue of problem gambling with the official introduction of its ambitious self-exclusion registry, BetStop. This pioneering initiative spans across the entire country and marks the first national effort to provide individuals throughout Australia with a comprehensive means to manage and limit their gambling activities effectively.

Distinguished by its innovative approach, BetStop transcends individual state boundaries, operating at a national level. This ensures that individuals who opt for self-exclusion in one state will remain excluded regardless of their location. However, it's worth noting that existing state-level exclusion programs won't automatically transfer their exclusions to BetStop, leaving room for improvement in this aspect.

Individuals who enrol in BetStop gain the flexibility to exclude themselves from gambling activities for durations ranging from three months to a lifetime.

Concurrently, the government has underscored to the industry that any individual registered with BetStop should be barred from opening gambling accounts or participating in gaming establishments. The responsibility squarely rests on operators and licensees to diligently prevent these customers from accessing gambling services.

Operators are mandated to verify whether customers have enrolled in the self-exclusion program before accepting any wagers. This obligation applies to casinos, clubs, and interactive wagering companies. Their collective goal is to ensure that players are shielded from harmful behaviours, sidestepping restrictions, and that they do not receive funds from vulnerable individuals grappling with gambling-related issues.

The verification process must occur subsequent to registration and before allowing consumers to place wagers. This supersedes the previous requirement to complete identity checks within 72 hours, emphasising the urgency for operators to promptly conduct these checks if they intend to serve paying customers.

In a bid to enhance the program's visibility, the Australian Communications and Media Authority will orchestrate national promotions and awareness campaigns for BetStop.

Undoubtedly, vigilance is essential for BetStop, the government, and operators alike. Drawing lessons from analogous programs like the UK's GamStop, there's a history of consumers evading self-exclusion measures by making minor alterations to their data. Armed with this insight from international experiences, Australia now has a unique opportunity to establish an effective self-exclusion program from the outset.

Our Conclusion

Unfortunately, this service does not work with crypto casinos. Every player who possesses cryptocurrency can lose it through gambling. It's important to personally address the issue of gambling, make the decision not to play, and never engage in gambling.