TLDR Australia’s Northern Territory introduced a bill to reform the NTRWC, the body that regulates 52 major online bookmakers with zero full-time staff Investigations revealed commissioners owned racehorses and accepted gifts from bookmakers they were supposed to regulate The new bill would strip the NTRWC of local racing duties and ban commissioners from holding betting accounts or owning racehorses The Alliance for Gambling Reform slammed the bill as a “kneejerk, reputational response” and demanded a fully funded independent regulator Major bookmakers like Sportsbet praised the bill and urged lawmakers to pass it as written
Australia’s online betting regulator is at the center of a heated debate after the Northern Territory government introduced a reform bill that critics say does not go far enough.
The bill targets the NT Racing and Wagering Commission, a body that oversees 52 major bookmakers across the country. It was introduced last month by Northern Territory Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby.
The NTRWC holds an outsized role in Australian gambling because large corporate bookmakers register in the Northern Territory to take advantage of low tax rates. This makes the commission the de facto national regulator for online betting.
Despite this massive responsibility, the commission does not employ a single full-time staff member.
How Scandals Forced the Government’s Hand
The push for reform came after investigative reports by Four Corners and ABC News NT uncovered deep conflicts of interest within the commission. Journalists found that six of the last ten commissioners owned or part-owned racehorses while regulating the industry.
Reporters also discovered the commission’s chair had accepted hospitality gifts from the bookmakers he was supposed to oversee. Frustrated bettors have long complained that the NTRWC takes years to resolve disputes over unpaid winnings and unfair practices.
A federal parliamentary inquiry in 2023 recommended creating a proper