The “Casino Control and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023” is part of the government’s response to the ongoing controversy around The Star Entertainment Group’s severe regulatory oversights. The newly proposed measures include regular inquiries into casino-associated organizations, restrictions on cash usage, mandatory play breaks, and more stringent technology adoption.

These Significant Updates Will Ensure Casino Accountability

Queensland’s legislation seeks to implement the 12 recommendations outlined by Hon. Robert Gotterson, who conducted an in-depth probe into The Star’s regional operations and identified substantial regulatory breaches. These changes are part of the government’s ongoing commitment to improving the regulation and oversight of the casino industry.

The new laws prioritize reducing gambling-related harm and combating money laundering. Some proposed measures envision cash use restrictions and mandatory breaks during play to protect players while fostering responsible gambling practices. Some of these provisions mirror other Australian states, which have also rallied against problem gambling.

The bill also introduces a supervision levy on casino licensees, ensuring that the cost of regulating casinos does not burden taxpayers, as the industry covers the expenses related to oversight. This legislature builds upon last year’s law reforms that introduced pecuniary penalties for casinos up to $100 million, helping offset gambling’s negative societal impact.

The Region Maintains Its Stance against Problem Gambling

Queensland Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath emphasized that the reforms were a vital part of the government’s long-term strategy to strengthen the industry’s oversight and safeguard the interests of operators and players. She added that casino executives would have additional duties, and non-compliance would lead to significant personal penalties, hopefully fostering a lasting impact.

These reforms will continue to modernize Queensland’s gambling and casino laws to ensure they remain effective now and into the future.

Yvette D’Ath, Queensland Minister for Justice and Attorney-General

The proposed regulatory updates could not come too soon as recent data revealed that Queensland saw a sudden surge in gambling losses as bettors squandered away more than AUD5 billion ($3.2 billion). Although the new measures are a welcome step forward, the proliferation of electronic gaming machines remains one of the region’s most pressing concerns.

Queensland lawmakers hope the new legislation will complement existing gambling harm prevention efforts. The government is making impressive progress with targeted regulatory updates and increased funding for charity and education. Mandatory cashless gaming for transactions exceeding $1000 will be the next significant milestone in combating problem gaming and turning the tide against the region’s growing addiction rates.

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There are 500 clearance devices that will be installed moving forward and the government is expected to ask residents to test the technology. Should the test run successfully, the iris-clearing border checks may be rolled out on a larger scale and be introduced at every border check in Macau.

Running More Tests Before Large-Scale Implementation

The technology, although having a dystopian ring to it, is part of legislative efforts promulgated by the Macau Legislative Assembly back in August 2021. The government introduced changes to its immigration control law that allowed it to collect and process the iris data of travelers.

The first round was conducted recently, using fewer devices, and controlled by the police. The 500 devices that will be rolling out will now allow the Macau government to see if it can handle the data and use it to better the comings and goings through borders.

The iris test’s second phase will focus on Macau residents who are aged 18 and above and will ask them to participate in the customs clearance tests. Once phase two of the testing is done, a third phase is expected to follow which will directly link personal iris data to the Macau Resident Electronic ID Card.

This way, residents would not need to use physical identity cards when entering or exiting the territory. This has raised questions, however, as to whether the technology would also become obligatory for foreign tourists – a move that can undermine the Special Administrative Region’s ability to attract foreign tourists.

Irish and Facial Recognition Clearance Becoming More Popular

The technology is also supposedly not mandatory. When Macau Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak was introducing it in March, it was argued that there is no obligation to submit iris data if a person does not want to.

Facial recognition has already been used to allow admittance to many international countries, but iris data has not been collected en masse. In Asia, at least, there is one other country that has used iris clearance data – Singapore, which makes the idea not too outlandish altogether.

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