Australian self-exclusion system reaches almost 30,000 sign-ups in first year
30th August 2024 9:16 am GMT
The Australian national gambling self-exclusion register, BetStop, has registered over 28,000 sign ups in the first year of operation.
The register was launched in August 2023 by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to allow players to self-exclude from gambling for a minimum of three months and up to a lifetime.
New data released by the ACMA to coincide with the first anniversary of the register shows that young people were very keen on the service, with 49 per cent of registrants coming from adults under 30.
Almost a third of users were in the next age bracket up (31 to 40), and 21 per cent of registrations came from those aged between 41 and 50.
Over 2,100 registrants opted to extend their initial exclusion period, with a third extending to lifetime exclusion.
Of the current user base, 47 per cent chose the lifetime exclusion option, with a majority of those users being over the age of 31.
Registrations peaked during key sporting events, with sign-ups increasing around the time of the Australian Football League and National Rugby League finals and the Melbourne Cup.
The New Year also saw a spike in registrations, with Monday and Saturday being the most popular days for sign-ups.
The communications regulator confirmed that as of 21 August 2024, there were around 23,000 current users on the register.
“Online gambling can cause a great deal of harm to individuals, their families and friends, so it’s encouraging that so many people have decided to take the step and register to self-exclude,” said ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin.
“Younger Australians, in particular, are making early decisions about the role that online gambling will play in their lives.
“Many people are also choosing to nominate someone to support them. Stopping online gambling can be a difficult decision to make, having someone to support you can make the decision much easier.
“And many people are committing to long-term change, with a high percentage of people choosing to exclude for life.”
