For those interested here is an e-mail I received from DAS today with the latest developments on the proposed Internet Gaming Ban currently affecting Australia.
Personally I think the whole thing is laughable. What they are saying is that you can pick up the phone to place a bet, but you can't use your computer which generally dials out on the exact same phone line.
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Before submissions to the Senate Committee inquiring into the proposed new law closed on Tuesday, 24 April, IAS put forward a comprehensive proposal detailing our objections to the legislation in its current form.
As I?ve said many times, the stated aim of the new law to reduce problem gambling is
commendable ? but you don?t have to be a cynic to think it might be a smokescreen leading into an election. We all agree that problem gamblers need to be helped but when did they become a national issue rating above such things as Australians paying more for their petrol than ever before; or what we?re doing about halting the slide of the Aussie dollar? The last time I can recall such a cynical exercise was when debate raged about changing the Australian flag prior to a previous federal election. Did anything come of that or was it too simply a smokescreen to deflect public attention away from more important and far-reaching issues?
For the Federal Government to lump racing and sports wagerers into a selective blanket ban on Internet gambling, that denies Australian residents the right to use an Australian company to place a racing or sporting wager on the Internet, is simply unAustralian.
I certainly hope you wrote to your local Federal Member of Parliament to let them know that the vast majority of punters who elect to have a wager on a horse race or sporting event are not problem gamblers and should not be victimized by this draconian law.
The deliberations of the Senate committee are expected to reach Federal Parliament for
consideration when it resumes on 22 May. However, these sittings are also the Budget
Sittings which will invariably consume most of the Parliament?s time. This may mean that
consideration of the Internet ban might then be put back to the June Sittings beginning 18
June ? also keeping in mind that the current moratorium on Internet gambling expires on 18
May.
But rest assured, we are certainly doing all we can to ensure sanity prevails with this issue as we are sure you are too.
MARK J READ
Executive Chairman
[This message has been edited by Cartman88 (edited 05-04-2001).]
Personally I think the whole thing is laughable. What they are saying is that you can pick up the phone to place a bet, but you can't use your computer which generally dials out on the exact same phone line.
--------------------------------------------
Before submissions to the Senate Committee inquiring into the proposed new law closed on Tuesday, 24 April, IAS put forward a comprehensive proposal detailing our objections to the legislation in its current form.
As I?ve said many times, the stated aim of the new law to reduce problem gambling is
commendable ? but you don?t have to be a cynic to think it might be a smokescreen leading into an election. We all agree that problem gamblers need to be helped but when did they become a national issue rating above such things as Australians paying more for their petrol than ever before; or what we?re doing about halting the slide of the Aussie dollar? The last time I can recall such a cynical exercise was when debate raged about changing the Australian flag prior to a previous federal election. Did anything come of that or was it too simply a smokescreen to deflect public attention away from more important and far-reaching issues?
For the Federal Government to lump racing and sports wagerers into a selective blanket ban on Internet gambling, that denies Australian residents the right to use an Australian company to place a racing or sporting wager on the Internet, is simply unAustralian.
I certainly hope you wrote to your local Federal Member of Parliament to let them know that the vast majority of punters who elect to have a wager on a horse race or sporting event are not problem gamblers and should not be victimized by this draconian law.
The deliberations of the Senate committee are expected to reach Federal Parliament for
consideration when it resumes on 22 May. However, these sittings are also the Budget
Sittings which will invariably consume most of the Parliament?s time. This may mean that
consideration of the Internet ban might then be put back to the June Sittings beginning 18
June ? also keeping in mind that the current moratorium on Internet gambling expires on 18
May.
But rest assured, we are certainly doing all we can to ensure sanity prevails with this issue as we are sure you are too.
MARK J READ
Executive Chairman
[This message has been edited by Cartman88 (edited 05-04-2001).]
