In what may very well be a last ditch effort to pursuade the Australian Government to forgo a permanent ban on Internet Gambling, casino operators have launched a checklist for sage online gaming.
Legislation is expected to be finalized today which will ban Australian gaming operators from signing up local customers. The ban will allow operators to stay in business by relying solely on an offshore customer base. It would also ban local Internet sports and race betting in Australia.
Publicly, the Australian Casino Association (ACA) said it has published the list to give Australians guidelines in what to look out for when venturing to an offshore site.
"The problem is, the standards of these sites vary from backyard operators to major companies, but regulation is often non-existent," ACA executive director Chris Downy said.
The ACA said players should check that websites:
are run by reputable companies with a land-based presence;
offer points play or free games, not just cash;
offer support such as links to problem gambling counselling;
have policies for pay-outs, customer service and dispute resolution;
allow players to set betting limits;
are licensed by government;
have ways to secure financial transactions and personal details;
bar under-18s from registering; and
allow players to keep a transaction record of each visit.