Research highlights how Australia's iGaming domain is striving to bridge the gap with global standards.

As reformers push the government to act on gambling regulations, recent findings have highlighted some concerning patterns. A report from the Alliance for Gambling Reform indicates Australia lags primarily behind European countries in managing gambling online gambling and betting scene.

New findings reveal Australia's lag in monitoring gambling ads and digital gaming activities, contrasting with European nations like Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain.

For example, Germany in 2021 banned broadcasting ads related to online casinos , online slot games, and poker platforms from 06:00 to 21:00. Additionally, Germany mandated a monthly deposit limit of A$1,640/€1,000 across all gambling activities on licensed platforms.

As anticipation builds, Australians are keenly awaiting results from a parliamentary exploration into digital gambling's effects. According to the head of the committee, they'll consider strategies from jurisdictions with successful regulatory practices to combat gambling issues before drawing their conclusions.

Reacting to the new research, Alliance for Gambling Reform's CEO, Carol Bennett, noted the lackluster progress Australia has made in addressing gambling ads targeting minors and online gambling matters.

Bennett shared with Guardian Australia: 'Communities are voicing the need for significant changes in this realm. Although overdue, steps are now being taken to implement much-needed actions. We're merely catching up.'

Since taking reins last year, the Labor government has been gradually responding to such calls. A notable action has been the anticipated launch of BetStop, a self-exclusion initiative the government plans to activate soon. The party has also instituted bans on using credit cards for online gambling and has raised the classification of lootbox games to M15+. Nevertheless, these measures are yet to be fully rolled out.

Concurrently, ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) informed the Senate last week that BetStop's launch was postponed from the end of March due to the contractor's insolvency assigned to deploy it. However, they've assured ongoing discussions with another company to finalize the project.

In its latest efforts, the body has restricted numerous unauthorized foreign operators to shield Australians from the unregulated market. Last month, it advised regional ISPs (internet service providers) to block an additional three offshore platforms, raising the total of prohibited sites in Australia to over 700.

Bennett pointed out that lacking comprehensive regulations has left an opening for operators to target young people with games reminiscent of gambling poker machines. She remarked: 'Parents witnessing their children engage with [these] games realize they are no longer just harmless entertainment, but are gradually integrating gambling elements, seemingly prepping the next generation of participants.' games Pariplay enhances its partnership with Ainsworth, signaling growth on the horizon.