Lotterywest Builds Up Monopoly in Western Australia

Lotterywest Builds Up Monopoly in Western Australia
Western Australia has decided to fortify the state-owned lottery’s position on the market by imposing new measures against “synthetic” online betting operators. The WA government has passed a legislation on Wednesday that prohibits sites like Lottoland from further advertising or providing its services.

Generally speaking, the regulation is partially excessive, since Australia’s federal authorities already approved an official ban on other lotteries , effective on January 1st 2019. As a result, both operators and residents will be prohibited from promoting and patronizing such sites in the future.

Taking A Step Further:

Despite the country’s relatively moderate gambling laws, the WA government is succeeding in stiffening penalties and is now even planning to make extra steps in securing its new legislation; lottery betting customers will be fined with $2,500 AUS for visiting illegal betting sites, although the state officials must explain how its residents’ "illicit activities" on the Internet will be monitored.

Rumour has it, that the authorities could additionally empower the WA’s Gaming and Wagering Commission to oversee and detect any use of banned lottery sites.

"Unwanted Competition"

According to Paul Papalia, a Legislative Assembly member, the state’s operator will no longer have to worry about the unforeseen disruptive betting processes, given the fact that the new legislation entitles the regulator to outlaw competitive lottery betting sites on spot. Papalia added that rival providers are cannibalizing official raffle sales, leading to "depriving social causes of funding."

Although this may be true, Lottoland Australia CEO, Luke Brill, confirmed that his company’s idea is not "to break the law" and that it will take further steps in innovating its business model to become fully compliant with the state law. To point out, most Aussie online sportsbooks are licensed in the Northern Territory.

Source: Stradbrooke, Steven. "Western Australia to fine online lottery betting customers $2,500". Calvin Ayre. September 19, 2018.
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