1. The first Ministerial Council on Gambling was held on 19 April 2000 in Canberra
At the first Ministerial Council on Gambling, the Commonwealth Government invited the States and Territories to participate in an immediate 12-month moratorium on any new forms of interactive gambling, licensing of interactive gambling or interactive gambling policy initiatives. A moratorium would allow the Commonwealth Government to investigate the feasibility and consequences of a ban on Internet gambling.
The States and Territories, with the exception of NSW and WA, declined to agree to the moratorium.
A month after the meeting, on 19 May 2000, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and the Minister for Family and Community Services announced that the Commonwealth would develop legislation to impose a 12-month moratorium on the introduction of new interactive gambling services to apply with effect from that data.
2. The second Ministerial Council on Gambling was held on 21 April 2001 in Adelaide
During the second Ministerial Council on Gambling it was agreed to develop a national research program to examine the cause of problem gambling. The national research program was to consider a number of issues concerning changes to gaming machine operation such as, the introduction of precommitment gaming machine loss-limits and mandatory breaks in gaming machine operation.
The Ministerial Council on Gambling also deliberated the following issues:
- Encouraging early implementation of responsible gambling initiatives by States and Territories
- The feasibility of a national approach to the training of gaming staff in responsible gambling
- Options for education programs for school children about problem gambling
- Codes of conduct on advertising and consumer protection
- Consideration of the social impacts of gambling before expanding gaming opportunities
- Enhancing social obligations on gambling services
- Payment of casino gaming machine winnings by cheque
- Automated teller machine (ATM) and credit card withdrawals
- Interactive gambling legislation.
3. The third Ministerial Council on Gambling was held on 11 September 2001 in Canberra
The third Ministerial Council on Gambling identified five key priority areas for research emphasis:
- National approach to definitions of problem gambling and consistent data collection
- Feasibility and consequences of changes to gaming machine operation
- Best approaches to early intervention and prevention to avoid problem gambling
- Longitudinal study of problem gamblers and what policy measures would work for them
- Benchmarks and on-going monitoring studies to measure the impact and effectiveness of strategies introduced to reduce the extent and impact of problem gambling, including studies of services that exist to assist problem gamblers and the effectiveness of these services.
The Ministers agreed that the research program would be managed through an Gambling Research Australia Secretariat, located in Victoria. The Gambling Research Australia Program would be funded by the Commonwealth, States and Territories on a proportional basis according to the state / territory share of national gambling expenditure.
The Ministers noted the provisions of the Commonwealth Interactive Gambling Act 2001 banning access to interactive gaming and wagering services licensed in Australia, and the Government's arrangements for implementing the legislation.
Australian banks will play a key role in introducing technological changes aimed at reducing problem gambling, and the Commonwealth has begun discussions with financial institutions on best practice restrictions on ATMs and the provision of credit in gambling venues. The Ministerial Council agreed officials would work towards developing a national approach by 1 December 2001.
The council noted the actions taken by New South Wales to exclude criminals from casinos and discussed possible new technologies to assist these exclusions.
The South Australian Treasurer proposed that jurisdictions jointly commit $5 million to fund a five-year research program. Ministers agreed that all jurisdictions would respond by 1 December 2001 to this proposal.
4. The fourth Ministerial Council on Gambling was held on 21 November 2003 in Melbourne
At the fourth meeting of the Ministerial Council on Gambling, held in Melbourne on 21 November 2003, the Australian Government and State/Territory Government Ministers discussed a range of initiatives aimed at addressing problem gambling.
National framework on problem gambling
Ministers supported the development of a national framework on problem gambling. They:
- Requested officials supporting the Ministerial Council on Gambling to prepare the focus areas for a national framework by April 2004, as proposed by COAG, with a view to being endorsed by Ministers at the next meeting of the Ministerial Council in 2004.
- Requested that officials, in developing the framework, take into account the Australian Government's draft strategy, which requires State and Territory input, and the work undertaken in the last 2 years by the State and Territory governments.
- Agreed that a report be provided to COAG on the Council's progress in developing a national framework on problem gambling and progress on other initiatives.
Gambling Research Australia Program
Ministers noted the progress of the Gambling Research Australia Working Party Secretariat on implementing the national gambling research program, and agreed that research under the program should be subject to peer review. The Research Working Party is to advise Ministers on a process to put this in place.
Access to funds through ATM/EFTPOS
Ministers noted the ATM/EFTPOS research report undertaken by the Australian Government.
State and Territory Ministers asked the Australian Government to advise on mechanisms to enable States and Territories to apply individual daily withdrawal limits to ATM and EFTPOS facilities in gaming venues. The Australian Government agreed to provide the Council with a paper on the matter by early 2004.
In addition, the Ministers noted the range of cash facility restrictions currently in place in various States and Territories including:
- Requiring cash facilities to be located outside and appropriately away from designated gaming areas; and
- In respect of cash access restrictions:
- Prohibiting credit access from ATMs and cash advances from credit accounts on EFTPOS facilities; and
- Requiring a maximum withdrawal limit of $200 per transaction.
The Ministers called on financial institutions to take a socially responsible approach in managing consumer access to credit for gaming purposes.
Community Education
Ministers noted the activities of the Community Services Ministers Advisory Council (CSMAC) Gambling Working Party and in particular the extent of collaboration occurring between jurisdictions on community education through the CSMAC Gambling Working Party.
They also noted the intent of States and Territories to collaborate more formally on community education through the CSMAC Gambling Working Party, and the consultation processes in place for the national public awareness campaign.
They noted the importance of consultation by the Australian Government with other jurisdictions through the campaign reference group and the CSMAC Gambling Working Party about the timing, focus and approach of its national problem gambling public awareness campaign.
NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Review
Ministers noted the NSW Government initiative in commissioning a review of harm minimisation measures and funding for gambling-related counselling services.
South Australian Family Protection Orders
Ministers noted the proposal to introduce a problem gambling family protection order in South Australia.
Financial Spread Betting
State and Territory Ministers expressed their concerns at the development of financial spread betting as a new form of gambling.
State and Territory Ministers called on the Australian Government to reconsider its approval of new forms of gambling such as spread betting as financial instruments, and as a first step, ban the advertising of spread betting as a gambling product.
Betting Exchanges
State and Territory Ministers called on the Australian Government to refer the resolution of the Australian Racing Ministers Conference on betting exchanges, noting the position of Tasmania and Northern Territory, to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
The Ministerial Council agreed it was a productive meeting and committed to meet again by the end of June 2004.