The Government is committed to reducing potential harms from online gambling, which has experienced significant growth in recent years. 

The Government shares responsibility for online gambling with the Commonwealth which administers the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The Act prohibits online gambling in Australia apart from wagering and lotteries.

This Act was recently amended to make it clear that unlicensed offshore operators are prohibited from offering their services to Australians. The Commonwealth also empowered the Australian Communications and Media Authority with enforcement and deterrence measures to combat illegal offshore gambling.

The New South Wales Responsible Gambling Fund provides over $18 million annually to support responsible gambling and prevent and minimise the risk of problem gambling in the community.

To support the community make informed choices about internet gambling, in September 2017 the Government, through the Responsible Gambling Fund, committed almost $1 million to an awareness campaign to address risky online wagering behaviour among young male sports bettors. 

Targeted at males aged 18 to 35 who are most at risk of experiencing gambling harm from online wagering, the "Show some Betiquette" advertising campaign was timed to coincide with significant sporting events including the National Rugby League and Australian Football League finals seasons and the spring racing carnival. Running from 7 September to 30 November 2017, the campaign encouraged young males to consider responsible gambling behaviours when betting online. 

The Government is also working with other jurisdictions to develop and put in place a National Consumer Protection Framework for online wagering. Residents of New South Wales access online wagering services from operators nationwide and a nationally consistent framework is important to ensure New South Wales residents are protected from gambling related harm no matter which operator they bet with.

The National Framework will ensure stronger consumer protection through measures designed to limit the impact of gambling related harm. This will include tools such as a national self-exclusion register, restrictions on inducements and credit betting and the provision of voluntary pre-commitment tools.