Alliance for Gambling Reform: Digital Duty of Care can address underage gambling
The Alliance for Gambling Reform urges the Senate to extend age assurance requirements to online wagering services through the Digital Duty of Care to protect children from gambling harm.Summary
The Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR) has called on the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee to recommend extending age assurance requirements to online wagering service providers through the Digital Duty of Care Bill 2026. While underage gambling is already illegal, about 30 per cent of 12 to 17-year-olds in Australia gamble in some form, spending an estimated $18 million a year, according to the Australia Institute. Currently, sports betting apps only verify identity at account creation, which is designed to prevent money laundering rather than underage access, and they lack the age assurance technology required of social media services. Simulated gambling games also have age assurance requirements under industry codes that the Digital Duty of Care will repeal. AGR CEO Sunita Bose and lived experience advocate Mark Kempster appeared before the Committee, with Kempster sharing his personal story of starting gambling at 15 and the severe toll it took on his mental health. AGR is asking the Committee to support two key amendments: extending the Bill's age assurance and access control requirements to online services for placing bets, and specifying material or conduct that incites a child into prohibited betting as harmful to children. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young expressed support, stating it is time to put children's health and safety ahead of gambling industry profits. AGR's recommendations align with Recommendation 18 of the Murphy Report, which calls for a duty of care on online wagering service providers.
(Source：News Hub - Medianet News Hub Archive)