(OZ) This establishment only accepts REGIS

[Fedya Fussball]

On the same line as "We only accept VISA.." the OZ government is going after a method of controlling online punters. The article does not go further and explain how foreigners will be controlled if at all.

To me it sounds more and more as if Big Brudder wants to get into telling every individual what is good for him... Would Kerry Packer have to carry such a card????



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Card may curb online gamblers

From The Age, Melbourne



Internet gambling would be controlled by smartcard technology that would regulate online gaming sites and ban problem gamblers under a system being considered by the Federal Government.

The system would force gamblers to apply to a gaming regulatory authority for a smart-card in the same way people apply to, and must be approved by, a bank to obtain a credit card.

The smartcard would control how much a person could bet by providing a set limit that a gambler could wager within a specified period.

If the amount is lost before the period elapses, the gambler cannot gamble online until the time period finishes and a further amount of money can be placed on the smartcard.

It does not use credit.

Known as REGIS (responsible electronic gaming Internet system), the smartcard system would have the facility to allow the banning of problem gamblers and, through a PIN security system, also prevent unauthorised use.

Gaming industry estimates show that Internet gambling is likely to boom after 2001 with Australians projected to be gambling about $3.5 billion by then.

FF

[AussieVamp2]

be interesting if they apply this

to casinos, racing and sports

phone betting would soon become a lot more popular, meaning more staff needed for the betting agencies........

[AussieVamp2]

Internet betting faces new curbs

By LYALL JOHNSON
CONSUMER AFFAIRS REPORTER
Wednesday 14 June 2000

Internet gambling would be controlled by smartcard technology that would regulate online gaming sites and ban problem gamblers under a system being considered by the Federal Government.

The system, which has been developed in Melbourne, would force gamblers to apply to a gaming regulatory authority for a smartcard in the same way people apply to, and must be approved by, a bank to obtain a credit card.

The smartcard would control how much a person could bet by providing a set limit that a gambler could wager within a specified period. If the amount is lost before the period elapses, the gambler cannot gamble online until the time period finishes and a further amount of money can be placed on the smartcard. It does not use credit.

Known as REGIS (responsible electronic gaming Internet system), the smartcard system would have the facility to allow the banning of problem gamblers and, through a PIN number security system, also prevent unauthorised use.

Other benefits include stopping credit card betting, providing an audit trail to prevent money laundering, and the potential for it to be extended to control poker machine usage at casinos and clubs.

Under the REGIS system, which has been developed by REGIS Controls Pty Ltd, all Australian Internet gaming sites must be registered with a regulatory authority.

The gambling limit would apply to all sites. Gamblers would not be able to log on to another site and continue gambling.

There are about 14 corporations conducting Internet gambling sites within Australia and about 800 worldwide, many of the latter being unregulated organisations originating in the Caribbean.

According to recent welfare system reports, Australia has about 300,000 problem gamblers. Gaming industry estimates also show that Internet gambling is likely to boom after 2001 with Australians projected to be gambling about $3.5billion by that year.

"It (REGIS) will stop people losing their homes from their lounge rooms," said REGIS Controls chief executive officer, Elik Szewach.

"You can never stop the Internet so we're hoping the government takes the initiative and takes a national regulatory role and does it heavily."

Mr Szewach said one of the exciting aspects of the REGIS system was that it could be set up to control the use of poker machines at casinos, simply by replacing the coin slot with a smartcard unit.

The system was well received by the Senate information technologies committee's "Netbets: A review of online gambling in Australia inquiry", which reported to parliament in March.

"It's certainly the best thing I had been able to see. It is certainly better than self-regulation, it's more certain," according to a committee member, Tasmanian Liberal Senator Paul Calvert.

"We had all sorts of guarantees from the different casinos involved saying, `We're going to have a very strict code of conduct', but (it is better) if you have a smartcard system that only gives you access to online gambling when you have got X amount of dollars in your account," Senator Calvert said.

"The impressive part about it was that if you were a problem gambler once you get to a certain limit it stops."

The Federal Government in May instituted a 12-month moratorium on Internet gaming, which stopped further Australian sites opening.

A government spokesman said Prime Minister John Howard was keen to ban online gambling, however, Internet experts say there is no way of stopping people accessing Internet gambling sites, especially those based overseas.

Australian online casinos are regulated at state level.