Protect our kids. Protect our pets. Protect ourselves from ourselves. This may be the message that Australia is trying to convey in recent months as some in government attempt to block websites.
Now along comes Safer Internet Day 2009 in Australia. Guess who's behind the event?
If you guessed Senator Stephen Conroy, you got it right!
This is the same Senator Conroy who was behind the attempts to have websites blocked in Australia.
"The themes for Safer Internet Day 2009-safe social networking and the prevention of cyber-bullying-are particularly relevant given the popularity of services such as Facebook, MySpace, Habbo Hotel and Bebo among young people," the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said.
Translation: "You're next on our priority list of sites to block Facebook."
"They are playing the ‘protect the kids" card, but we all know that governments and big business is about... business - money... and with the government - Control;" remarked Australia's media man, Greg Tingle.
Gambling911.com has been following developments in Australia on the "censorship" front as online gambling typically sits next on the food chain after the politicians rid the land down under of porn.
"Young people are highly engaged with the online world and it is important that they have the knowledge and experience needed to be responsible cyber-citizens," Conroy insists.
Safer Internet Day 2009 is being held tomorrow, February 10. (Credit: Gambling911.com)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Technology News
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Press Room - Australians continue to bet online - 5th February 2002
The Federal Government’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001, introduced in June 2001, has failed to curb Internet casino-type gambling and is forcing Australians to use offshore and largely unregulated online gaming sites, the Australian Casino Association (ACA) announced today.
The Federal Government’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001, introduced in June 2001, has failed to curb Internet casino-type gambling and is forcing Australians to use offshore and largely unregulated online gaming sites, the Australian Casino Association (ACA) announced today.
Quoting the ACA/ Hitwise Online Gaming Report, Executive Director of the ACA, Mr Chris Downy, said more than 40 per cent of Australians gambling online are visiting offshore sites.
“This research proves that Australians are actively visiting offshore casino-type gaming websites which are clearly not subject to the same stringent regulation as Australia.
“The failure of the Act is underlined by the finding that in December 2001, one international online casino and one casino portal featured in the Top 10 gaming sites accessed by Australians,” he said.
Between February and December 2001 the number of international Entertainment-Gambling websites visited by Australian Internet users had increased 38 per cent. During February 2001, Hitwise monitored 304 Entertainment - Gambling websites, 100 of which were based in Australia. By December 2001, the total number of Entertainment - Gambling websites monitored had increased to 419, with the number of Australian sites remaining constant at 100.
“The level of interest in online gaming remained relatively consistent throughout the year and actually increased in July 2001 at the same time as the introduction of the Interactive Gambling Act.
“The Entertainment-Gambling category attracted nearly .5 per cent of total Internet traffic in Australia per month between February and December last year.
“We said at the time that the government was using a sledgehammer to crack a peanut and the latest evidence would certainly appear to support our view,” Mr Downy said.
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 prohibits Australians from gambling on Australian online casinos, but does not prevent Australians from online horse racing and lottery wagering.
Mr Downy said the research clearly demonstrates the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 has not prevented Internet casino-type wagering, but has forced Australians to gamble overseas on unregulated and potentially harmful sites.
“It is extraordinary that Australians are forced to gamble on offshore sites when our local sites have in place player protection measures which are among the toughest in the world.
“Countries worldwide are recognising that government regulation is the key to successful online gambling management.
"Even countries that were looking to ban Internet gambling have now recognised that this is ultimately a futile exercise, and are now looking to regulate and control this activity," he said.
The ACA actively supports the rigorous customer protection measures already in force and promoted by Australian operators.
Other notable findings of the ACA/Hitwise Gaming Report include:
· NSW (38 per cent) and Victoria (31 per cent) supplied the majority of traffic to the Entertainment-Gambling sector;
· The level of traffic to websites in the Entertainment-Gambling category was strongest on Saturdays;
· 40 per cent of all visits to the category went to the Top 10 websites;
· In comparison to the share of visits to the Entertainment-Gambling category (which remained relatively consistent throughout 2001), visits to Business and Finance-Stocks & Shares fell significantly from 1.292 per cent in February 2001 to .907 per cent in December 2001.
The ACA plans to monitor online gaming traffic throughout 2002 and will release results of a similar study in July 2002 and January 2003 respectively.
The association has also published a number of guidelines Australians should consider before wagering on offshore, potentially unregulated Internet casino sites. These guidelines and other information related to online gaming can be found on the ACA website www.auscasinos.com.
ENDS…
5-Feb-02
For further information please contact:
Chris Downy
Executive Director
Australia Casino Association
Office: (02) 6232 6481
Mob: 0407 411 043
Hitwise Methodology:
The Hitwise Online Gaming Report tracks Australian Internet Traffic in the Entertainment-Gambling category between February – December 2001. Each day, Hitwise monitors approximately 3 million Australian Internet users and reports on over 100,000 online businesses. Hitwise monitors a range of Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks to capture usage patterns of Australian Internet users. The ISPs represent a diverse range of metropolitan and regional areas that includes Internet access from home, work and educational institutions. (Credit: www.auscasinos.com)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Casino
Online Casino
Hitwise
Search Engines
Technology News
The Federal Government’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001, introduced in June 2001, has failed to curb Internet casino-type gambling and is forcing Australians to use offshore and largely unregulated online gaming sites, the Australian Casino Association (ACA) announced today.
Quoting the ACA/ Hitwise Online Gaming Report, Executive Director of the ACA, Mr Chris Downy, said more than 40 per cent of Australians gambling online are visiting offshore sites.
“This research proves that Australians are actively visiting offshore casino-type gaming websites which are clearly not subject to the same stringent regulation as Australia.
“The failure of the Act is underlined by the finding that in December 2001, one international online casino and one casino portal featured in the Top 10 gaming sites accessed by Australians,” he said.
Between February and December 2001 the number of international Entertainment-Gambling websites visited by Australian Internet users had increased 38 per cent. During February 2001, Hitwise monitored 304 Entertainment - Gambling websites, 100 of which were based in Australia. By December 2001, the total number of Entertainment - Gambling websites monitored had increased to 419, with the number of Australian sites remaining constant at 100.
“The level of interest in online gaming remained relatively consistent throughout the year and actually increased in July 2001 at the same time as the introduction of the Interactive Gambling Act.
“The Entertainment-Gambling category attracted nearly .5 per cent of total Internet traffic in Australia per month between February and December last year.
“We said at the time that the government was using a sledgehammer to crack a peanut and the latest evidence would certainly appear to support our view,” Mr Downy said.
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 prohibits Australians from gambling on Australian online casinos, but does not prevent Australians from online horse racing and lottery wagering.
Mr Downy said the research clearly demonstrates the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 has not prevented Internet casino-type wagering, but has forced Australians to gamble overseas on unregulated and potentially harmful sites.
“It is extraordinary that Australians are forced to gamble on offshore sites when our local sites have in place player protection measures which are among the toughest in the world.
“Countries worldwide are recognising that government regulation is the key to successful online gambling management.
"Even countries that were looking to ban Internet gambling have now recognised that this is ultimately a futile exercise, and are now looking to regulate and control this activity," he said.
The ACA actively supports the rigorous customer protection measures already in force and promoted by Australian operators.
Other notable findings of the ACA/Hitwise Gaming Report include:
· NSW (38 per cent) and Victoria (31 per cent) supplied the majority of traffic to the Entertainment-Gambling sector;
· The level of traffic to websites in the Entertainment-Gambling category was strongest on Saturdays;
· 40 per cent of all visits to the category went to the Top 10 websites;
· In comparison to the share of visits to the Entertainment-Gambling category (which remained relatively consistent throughout 2001), visits to Business and Finance-Stocks & Shares fell significantly from 1.292 per cent in February 2001 to .907 per cent in December 2001.
The ACA plans to monitor online gaming traffic throughout 2002 and will release results of a similar study in July 2002 and January 2003 respectively.
The association has also published a number of guidelines Australians should consider before wagering on offshore, potentially unregulated Internet casino sites. These guidelines and other information related to online gaming can be found on the ACA website www.auscasinos.com.
ENDS…
5-Feb-02
For further information please contact:
Chris Downy
Executive Director
Australia Casino Association
Office: (02) 6232 6481
Mob: 0407 411 043
Hitwise Methodology:
The Hitwise Online Gaming Report tracks Australian Internet Traffic in the Entertainment-Gambling category between February – December 2001. Each day, Hitwise monitors approximately 3 million Australian Internet users and reports on over 100,000 online businesses. Hitwise monitors a range of Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks to capture usage patterns of Australian Internet users. The ISPs represent a diverse range of metropolitan and regional areas that includes Internet access from home, work and educational institutions. (Credit: www.auscasinos.com)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Casino
Online Casino
Hitwise
Search Engines
Technology News
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