National Code of Practice for Australian Bookmakers for the responsible provision of wagering services.

Industry Accord

Objectives

1. To develop and promote guidelines and programmes for the responsible delivery of wagering product, and the advertising and marketing of the Bookmaking industry.
2. To enhance the development of the Bookmaking industry throughout all member bodies.
3. To responsibly provide services that will enable wagering to be a socially rewarding leisure and entertainment activity.
4. To assist those patrons who experience wagering related difficulties with information on, and direction to, appropriate support services.
5. To enhance the public perception of the Bookmaking industry.
6. To comply with Government policy relevant to the Bookmakers.
7. Australian Bookmakers' Association to continue to be the body to integrate and require State Associations to develop generic initiatives for the provision of responsible gambling nationally.

Code of Practice

The Code of Practice is a voluntary code of self-regulation and is to be read in conjunction with the relevant legislation, regulation and rules of the racing codes and sports betting authorities in each State and Territory.

The handling of any complaints related to the Code is not intended to replace any policies or procedures that may exist as part of the above legislation, regulation and rules.

Regulatory Compliance

All Bookmakers will abide by the rules and regulations of the Government and the controlling bodies in the jurisdiction in which they propose to do business. All Bookmakers must be issued with a bona fide licence from the controlling body * in their jurisdiction and operate under the authority and within the scope of that licence.

Probity

The respective Bookmaker Associations ** in each jurisdiction shall ensure the financial and character bona fides for all Bookmakers for whom they provide fidelity guarantees or, where applicable, ensure that obligations to Government Authorities * are met.

Seal of Approval

ABA, through its Bookmaker Associations, will institute a "Seal of Approval" as approved by the Minister which will allow Bookmakers to acknowledge and display, in a visible manner, their support for fair, honest and responsible wagering. The Seal is to be a logo that can be recognised by clients, whether they are face to face punters or operating via the Internet.

Complaint resolution procedures

The effective resolution of complaints is a major objective of the Bookmaking Industry Code of Practice.

Each Bookmaker will ensure that they:

• Co-operate with the Controlling Bodies in the resolution process,

• Maintain adequate procedures for receiving and responding to both oral and written complaints, and

• Respond promptly to all complaints and make every reasonable effort towards their resolution.

Advertising

A Bookmaker must not publish any wagering-related advertising that:

1. encourages a breach of the law, or
2. depicts children wagering or involved in any other form of gambling, or
3. is false, misleading or deceptive, or
4. suggests that winning will be a definite outcome of participating in wagering activities, or
5. suggests that participation in wagering activities is likely to improve a person's financial prospects, or
6. promotes the consumption of alcohol while engaging in wagering, or
7. is not conducted in good taste and decency.

State Bookmaker Associations *** may require in Bookmaker written advertisements the inclusion of a statement advising of the availablility of counselling services.

A Bookmaker must not offer or supply any free or discounted liquor as an inducement to participate in any wagering activity conducted at a racecourse.

Privacy

All wagering providers must be scrupulous in the maintenance of privacy issues in respect of customer transactions.

Financial Transactions

All wagering providers must comply with relevant legislation regarding financial transactions, including the Financial Transaction Reports Act, which is administered by AUSTRAC.

Code of Practice Review

The participants recognise that the Code of Practice may require review due to changing circumstance.

Bookmaker Industry Code of Practice

Harm Minimisation

Bookmakers agree to provide wagering services in a manner that encourages responsible wagering patterns and behaviour.

General

Bookmakers will: -

1. Comply with statutory obligations and refuse access by minors,
2. Provide unrestricted access by clients to their own wagering account records,
3. Endorse warning messages regarding the effects of excess gambling and notices advising how to access problem gambling counselling agencies,
4. Improve customer information to assist in responsible wagering,
5. Agree not to offer propositions unless they have a probability of occurring,
   
   
6. Advise their clients of their credit betting policy, and
   
   
7. Not accept bets by credit card on-course.

Additional requirements for On-Line Wagering operators

On-Line operators agree to the following points: -

1. Internet sites to contain up to date links to Australian agencies providing assistance for problem gamblers.
   
   
2. Access by minors to be prevented by ID checks and the use of devices such as PINs and access passwords.
   
   
3. To monitor daily transfer from credit cards.
   
   
4. Bookmakers must abide by the restrictions contained in Credit Card Merchant contracts.
   
   

5. Bookmakers agree to offer services on an opt-in basis to assist customers to wager responsibly, which could include features such as: -
   - Offering pre-committed loss limits to clients
   - Increases in loss limit parameters to incorporate a 7-day cooling-off period.
   - Decreases in loss limit parameters to be effective immediately.
   
   
6. All Internet sites will not have entrapment systems and will facilitate easy exit from their site.
   
   
7. The Bookmaking Industry has a moratorium on micro-event wagering **** and Bookmakers agree to seek approval from ABA before offering bet-types that may be considered micro-event propositions.
   
   
8. Bookmakers using the "Seal of Approval" agree to the withdrawal or addition of any micro-event bet-type
   approved by ABA.

Exclusion

1. Self exclusion to be strictly enforced by each wagering provider based on an individual request by the client to that provider.
2. Subject to judicial order, third party exclusion will be strictly enforced by each wagering provider.
3. Each excluded person to be given direction to counselling services.

Training

1. Copies of the Code of Practice to be made available to Bookmakers' Staff.
2. Bookmakers to ensure staff are aware of the requirements of the Code of Practice.
3. Bookmakers and their customer service staff to receive training in the responsible provision of wagering service.
   
   
4. Each State to develop an accredited training course.
   

General

Addendum

* Controlling Bodies for the issuance of Bookmakers' Licences

Australian Capital Territory
Racing & Sports
ACT Gambling & Racing Commission
New South Wales
Racing
NSW Thoroughbred Racing Board
Harness Racing NSW
Greyhound Racing Authority
Sports Betting
NSW Department of Gaming & Racing
Northern Territory
Racing & Sports
NT Department of Racing, Gaming & Licensing.
Queensland
Racing & Sports
Queensland Principal Club
South Australia
Racing & Sports
Independent Gambling Authority
Tasmania
Racing & Sports
Dept. of Infrastructure, Energy & Resources - Racing Division
Victoria
Racing & Sports
VIC Government Bookmakers & Bookmakers' Clerks Registration Committee
Racing
Racing Victoria Ltd
Harness Racing Victoria
Greyhound Racing Victoria
Sports
Racing Victoria Ltd
Western Australia
Racing
WA Betting Control Board
Western Australian Turf Club
Western Australian Trotting Association
Western Australian Greyhound Association
Sports Betting
WA Betting Control Board

** Bookmaker Associations and Fidelity and Bonding Authorities

Australian Capital Territory
Racing
NSW Bookmakers' Co-operative Ltd
Sports
ACT Gambling & Racing Commission
New South Wales
Racing & Sports
NSW Bookmakers' Co-operative Ltd
Northern Territory
Racing & Sports
NT Department of Gaming, Racing & Licensing
Queensland
Racing & Sports
Queensland Principal Club
South Australia
Racing & Sports
Independent Gambling Authority
Tasmania
Racing & Sports
Tasmanian Bookmakers' Association
Victoria
Racing & Sports
Victorian Bookmakers' Association Ltd
Western Australia
Racing Bookmakers Fidelity Pty Ltd [managed by WA Bookmakers' Association (Inc)]
Sports
WA Betting Control Board

*** Written Gambling Advertising

This Code of Practice requires that Victoria's Bookmakers' written gambling advertising must contain the following statement.

If gambling is a problem for you
call Gambler's Help 1800 156 789

**** Micro-event Wagering

In determining whether a proposition offered is micro-event wagering or ‘traditional’ wagering the Australian Bookmakers' Association will use a number of criteria: -

• Will the outcome of an event offered within a sporting event have a significant impact on the outcome of the event itself?
  
  
  
• Is the determination of the probability of the outcome fundamentally skill-based?
  

 

• Will the punter have ample time to assess the probabilities, and the odds being offered, between when the proposition is first offered and when betting on the event is expected to close?
  

 

• Are wagers on a proposition accepted via multiple distribution methods, e.g. face-to-face or telephone as well as online? Propositions that can only be offered via an online medium, e.g. Internet or ITV, will be deemed micro-event wagering and therefore prohibited.

Examples of prohibited micro-event wagering propositions (by any method) are as follows:

1. (a) Toss of a coin (at anytime but highlighted for its use at the start of sporting events).
   (b) Rolling bet opening/closing/re-opening every 30 seconds or every minute.
   
   
2. Tennis
   Will the next serve be in or out?

Will the next serve be an ace?

Will service be broken next game?

3. Football
   (AFL)
   Will player kick the goal (from a mark)?

Will the next score be a goal or a behind?

Which team will score the next goal (6 points)?

(Rugby)
Will there be a penalty kick for goal in next 5 minutes?

(League)
Number of tackles in next five minutes over/under X?

4. Cricket
   Will the next ball be hit for a boundary?

What will be the number of runs off the next over?

Will there be a wicket next over?

5. Soccer
   Will player successfully take a penalty kick?

Will there be a corner in the next 3 minutes?

Will there be a goal in the next 5 minutes?

6. Basketball
   Turnover or score this possession?

   Which team will be the first to ten points?

7. Motor Racing
   Next lap faster (or slower) than previous lap?