BetStop sees 18,000 user registrations in first six months

About 18,000 users, largely young people, registered with the Australian government’s gambling exclusion registry, BetStop, in the first half of the program’s existence.

With the debut of BetStop in August of last year, individuals with gambling addictions, particularly those under 40, may limit their use of online gaming services.

More than 16,000 users have selected a three-month minimum exile period, with a significant portion choosing to extend their suspension indefinitely, according to official figures. Minister of Social Services Amanda Rishworth acknowledged her satisfaction with the service’s reception, saying it was better than expected.

According to Rishworth, the register’s design, which primarily targets the younger male online gaming community, is to blame for the increasing usage among Australians under 40. Online casinos are required to run over 8 billion real-time checks against BetStop while handling account requests.

Despite BetStop’s achievements, there is ongoing pressure on the federal government to address severe gambling addiction. This entails examining recommendations, including the one outlined in a parliamentary committee report about a three-year ban on gambling-related advertising.

Rishworth underlined the government’s commitment to a comprehensive response and acknowledged the significance of the report, which contains 32 recommendations, including restrictions on advertising.

Apart from BetStop, the government’s efforts to tackle gambling addiction also include outlawing the use of credit cards for online gambling and enforcing more stringent disclosures in gambling marketing.

Original story by: Asia Gaming Brief