Independent Member for Johnston, Justine Davis, joined Baini on the Big Brekky Show to discuss the gambling reform bill she is putting forward to the NT Legislative Assembly this week. Ms Davis believes that her bill provides a unique opportunity for the NT to show national leadership by putting people before gambling industry profits.

“The aim of the bill is to try and prevent some of the harm that is done by gambling to Territorians, but also to all Australians. People may not know this but the Northern Territory, as the smallest government in Australia, has ended up being in the role of regulating the national online gambling industry.”

The core of the reforms proposed by Ms Davis include banning harmful gambling inducements, applying limits to what young people can spend on gambling, and introducing stronger penalties for gambling operators that fail to meet their obligations.

“At the moment, there are penalties for companies if they break the rules, but they are so insignificant. This is a $50 billion industry and at the moment the maximum penalty is under $200,000. It’s nothing. It’s a drop in the ocean…they need to be properly held accountable… That penalty needs to be either $10 million dollars or 10% of their annual profit. It’s significant because we want companies to take this seriously, as they should be.”

The Gambling Harm Prevention Bill will be tabled at 3pm on Wednesday 14th October by Ms Davis. Members of the public are able to attend the Assembly in person at the NT Parliament House, or via broadcast here.