Australia’s government reported that BetStop, the country’s new national self-exclusion register, is proving to be a resounding success. According to official data, over 10,000 people have used the register to exclude themselves from gambling so far.
The register was launched in August 2023 and is a result of Australia’s efforts to lower the concerning problem gambling rates in the country. Many of the self-excluded people are under 40, with many of them opting to exclude themselves from gambling for a lifetime.
In addition, 1,200 people were nominated as support persons. Referred to the program by self-excluded players, support persons are people who can help gamblers get through the self-exclusion period.
BetStop Now Boasts 10,000 Registrants
BetStop is a scheme that excludes participants from all forms of gambling in Australia and prevents them from receiving marketing material. Users can select an exclusion period of between 3 months and a lifetime and get their gambling habits under control.
BetStop is free with most registrations taking no longer than 5 minutes. Australian operators are required to raise awareness of BetStop’s services among their clients.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is currently responsible for making sure that operators do not market their products to self-excluded people and do not allow them to wager through new accounts.
Further reinforcing the program, the government now requires operators to properly verify a customer’s identity at registration and make sure that they are not a self-excluded person or a minor.
BetStop Is Making a Difference
Australia’s Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, praised BetStop’s popularity, saying that the registration numbers mean that the program is “making a big difference.”
That’s why we launched BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register – in August this year as the final measure of the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering.
Michelle Rowland
Rowland advised people struggling with their gambling or the gambling of a loved one to visit the BetStop site and learn more about the program.
Amanda Rishworth, Australia’s Minister for Social Services, also commented on the matter, highlighting the government’s efforts to mitigate gambling harm.
It’s great that BetStop is already having such a positive impact, along with our other measures such as new evidence-based taglines that Australians would have seen on rotation on their screens and radios.
Amanda Rishworth
Rishworth also praised the mandatory pre-verification measures, saying that they are already preventing people from finding workarounds. The Minister for Social Services concluded that harm minimization “is not a set-and-forget exercise.” Because of that, the government is working closely on implementing the measures outlined in the National Consumer Protection Framework.
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