NSW introduces tough penalties for betting inducements
BETTING service providers, publishers and third-party affiliates face harsh new penalties of up to $55,000 after the NSW government introduced tighter restrictions on advertising inducements to gamble.
The new laws, which came into effect on Monday, will not only see participants slugged with financial penalties but directors of betting service providers can potentially face jail time for major transgressions.
It should be noted that the new laws do not extend to websites such as Horse Betting which “solely and exclusively (provide) racing content”.
Pages that produce material outside of racing will still be able to advertise to NSW providing that published content is “only ancillary and substantially insignificant to racing content”.
Websites that provide content where racing is secondary to sports will not be exempt.
Betting participants have been under pressure to make sure they are within the new guidelines after the government proved they were prepared to penalise any participants not playing within the rules.
Online bookmaker Neds was convicted and fined $18,000 on May 16 for publishing illegal advertising that offered NSW residents inducements to gamble.
Liquor & Gaming NSW Deputy Secretary Paul Newson said at the time they will be taking a zero tolerance policy on any dubious advertisements.
“While this case needed to be prosecuted under the laws that existed when the offences took place, new laws will ensure operators will incur substantially higher penalties for irresponsible practices,” Mr Newson said.
“Under the new laws, maximum fines for offering unlawful inducements to gamble have been increased tenfold, and directors of wagering businesses can be held personally liable and criminally convicted for gaming offences.”
Newson reiterated that ignorance will not be an excuse going forward.
“It will no longer be good enough for directors to turn a blind eye and say they were unaware their company had committed offences.
“In cases where company directors have not taken reasonable steps to prevent offences, they can be held personally liable.”