Following the December 1999 release of the Productivity Commission's report,
Australian Gambling Industries(1999), the Prime Minister John Howard committed the Commonwealth Government to a leadership role and established a Ministerial Council on Gambling aimed at achieving a national approach to the challenge of problem gambling.
The Ministerial Council on Gambling represents the Ministers with responsibility for gambling in each of the States and Territories and reports to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). The aim of the Ministerial Council on Gambling is to minimise the negative consequences of problem gambling by exchanging information on responsible gambling strategies, and providing a forum for discussing common issues with the objective of developing suitable regulatory approaches.
In addition COAG requested the Ministerial Council on Gambling to develop a
National Framework on Problem Gambling primarily to be implemented by State and Territory governments around four central themes:
- Prevention
- Early intervention and continuing support
- Building effective partnerships
- National research and evaluation.
The Ministerial Council on Gambling has agreed that there will be a national gambling research program, to be known as Gambling Research Australia, that will be managed by representatives of the Australian Government and, State and Territory Governments with support from a Secretariat.
The Ministerial Council on Gambling has determined that their focus will be on developing a range of measures to be implemented by the States and Territories, primarily related to gaming machines.
To achieve these aims, the key areas selected for concentrated effort are:
- Accessibility of gambling (including interactive or internet gambling) and in particular its relationship to the level of problem gambling
- An appropriate regulatory and educative framework for gambling which includes relevant consumer protection
- Support for problem gamblers, with the acceptance of problem gambling as an important social issue and recognition of the important role of information, counselling and support services for problem gamblers and those close to them.
The Ministerial Council on Gambling plans to continue to meet to evaluate the contribution of the research outcomes to the problem gambling environment.
Membership of the Ministerial Council on Gambling in Australia
| The Commonwealth Government | The Minister for Family and Community Services - The Chair |
| New South Wales | The Minister for Gaming and Racing |
| Victoria | The Minister for Gaming |
| Queensland | The Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Sport |
| South Australia | Minister for Gambling |
| Western Australia | The Minister for Racing, Gaming & Liquor |
| Tasmania | The Treasurer and Minister for Gaming and Licensing |
| Northern Territory | The Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing |
| Australian Capital Territory | The Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer and Minister for Sport, Racing & Gaming |
| Norfolk Island | Crown Counsel |
| The Community Services Ministers' Advisory Council (CSMAC) | The CSMAC representative - SA Minister for Social Justice |
In addition to the formal membership of the Council, other Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers may be invited to speak on items relevant to their portfolios.
Decision-making processes
The Ministerial Council on Gambling has no statutory powers. Decisions will be made by consensus.