Page 407 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 18 March 2014
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gaming and wagering elsewhere. They are individuals who have already provided the private information to other gambling regulators many times. They are companies with compliance sections whose sole business is to provide the reams of information that gambling commissions require. I believe this is appropriate to ensure integrity in the sector.
With those few remarks, I indicate that I will be supporting the bill today and I will also be supporting the government amendments that have been circulated and will, therefore, not need to speak in the detail stage.
MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Disability, Children and Young People, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Women, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Racing and Gaming) (10.54), in reply: The Totalisator Bill 2013 establishes a robust framework for the conduct of totalisators and the regulation of totalisator betting in the territory.
Totalisators in Australia are operated by the Totalisator Agency Board, which was introduced in the 1950s, and they allow for the pooling of bets and the declaration of winning dividends only after betting is closed, which contrasts with the fixed-odds betting where the consumer knows the dividend prior to making a bet.
In the ACT totalisator operations are currently operated by ACTTAB Ltd and are regulated by the Betting (ACTTAB Limited) Act 1964 and the Gambling and Racing Control Act 1999. The current regulatory framework as it applies to totalisator operations in the territory is in need of modernisation to maintain relevance in the current industry and provide consumer protection for gamblers.
Regulated gambling also provides for greater protection for problem gamblers and allows the government to implement policies to ensure that profits from gambling activities contribute to the cost of problem gambling.
The bill modernises current arrangements ensuring that regulatory processes are transparent and that the integrity of totalisator operations and the gambling industry as a whole in the territory is effective and transparent. Both ACTTAB and the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission have been consulted in the bill’s development.
Specifically, the bill will repeal the Betting (ACTTAB Limited) Act 1964 and introduces consequential amendments to the Gambling and Racing Control Act 1999, the Gambling and Racing Control (Code of Practice) Regulation 2002 and the Race and Sports Bookmaking Act 2001.
The bill establishes the following key elements: clear licensing with strong probity and integrity requirements for operators and key personnel involved in totalisator operations; provisions that enable the commission to regulate the behaviour and conduct of a licensee; clearer licensing terms and inclusive arrangements; enforcement mechanisms, including a disciplinary scheme and offence provisions; harm minimisation measures, including adherence to a code of practice and reporting requirements; financial provisions that enable a commission payable to the operator on totalisator betting; taxation on totalisator operations; monthly reporting requirements and the treatment of unclaimed moneys; a framework for consumer
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