28 March 2001

Internet Gambling Moratorium Supported

UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide supports the announcement made by the Prime Minister today, that there will be a moratorium on Internet gambling.

“We already have too many gambling products on the Australian market, and in South Australia alone there are over 20,000 people with gambling problems that are significantly reducing the quality of their lives and that of their families. It is clear that as a nation we need to be reigning in the runaway train that is gambling” said Rev. Dr Geoff Scott, Minister of the Mission.

UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide supports:

• A moratorium on all new gambling products
• National coordination on regulatory arrangement for all gambling codes
• National coordination of focused research into gambling addiction and factors that trigger problem gambling
• Strategies to reduce the level of gambling in Australia
• Contributions from all gambling codes and governments to programs that assist problem gamblers and their families.

Rev Scott also said, “we remain concerned about the easy access to gambling, through the Internet, in particular because young people are very familiar with the Internet. Meanwhile we know that young people who gamble are much more likely to be heavy gamblers in adult life and consequently are much more likely to have gambling problems.

For Further Comment
Mark Henley Senior Policy Officer	8202 5135 (w) 0404 067 011 (mob)