Contents

Part 1--Introduction                                                                                                               1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

3............ Simplified outline ................................................................................ 1

4............ Definitions .......................................................................................... 3

5............ Interactive gambling services .............................................................. 6

6............ Prohibited Internet gambling services ................................................. 7

8............ Australian‑customer link .................................................................... 8

8A......... Excluded wagering service ................................................................... 8

8B......... Excluded gaming service ...................................................................... 9

8C......... Designated broadcasting link and designated datacasting link .......... 10

8D......... Excluded lottery service .................................................................... 11

9A......... Designated country ........................................................................... 11

9B......... Designated country‑customer link .................................................... 12

10.......... Exempt services ................................................................................ 12

11.......... Extended meaning of use ................................................................... 12

12.......... Crown to be bound ........................................................................... 13

13.......... Extension to external Territories ....................................................... 13

14.......... Extra‑territorial application .............................................................. 13

Part 2--Offence of providing an interactive gambling service to customers in Australia 14

15.......... Offence of providing an interactive gambling service to customers in Australia      14

Part 2A--Offence of providing an Australian‑based interactive gambling service to customers in designated countries                                                                                         16

15A....... Offence of providing an Australian‑based interactive gambling service to customers in designated countries         16

Part 3--Complaints system: prohibited Internet gambling content          18

Division 1--Making of complaints to the ACMA                                        18

16.......... Complaints about prohibited Internet gambling content .................. 18

17.......... Complaints about breaches of online provider rules etc. .................. 18

18.......... Form of complaint ............................................................................ 18

19.......... Residency etc. of complainant .......................................................... 19

Division 2--Investigations by the ACMA                                                       20

20.......... Investigation of complaints by the ACMA ..................................... 20

21.......... ACMA may investigate matters on its own initiative ..................... 21

22.......... Conduct of investigations ................................................................. 21

23.......... Protection from civil proceedings ..................................................... 22

Division 3--Action to be taken in relation to a complaint about prohibited Internet gambling content hosted outside Australia                                                                  23

24.......... Action to be taken in relation to a complaint about prohibited Internet gambling content hosted outside Australia .......................................................................................................... 23

25.......... Deferral of action in order to avoid prejudicing a criminal investigation   25

26.......... Anti‑avoidance--notified Internet content ....................................... 25

27.......... Anti‑avoidance--special access‑prevention notice .......................... 26

28.......... Compliance with access‑prevention notices ..................................... 27

29.......... Notification of Internet content ........................................................ 27

30.......... Application of notifications under this Division .............................. 27

31.......... ACMA may be taken to have issued access‑prevention notices ..... 27

Part 4--Complaints system: industry code and industry standard            29

Division 1--Simplified outline                                                                                 29

32.......... Simplified outline .............................................................................. 29

Division 2--Interpretation                                                                                        30

33.......... Industry code .................................................................................... 30

34.......... Industry standard ............................................................................. 30

35.......... Designated Internet gambling matters ............................................... 30

Division 3--General principles relating to industry code and industry standard              31

36.......... Statement of regulatory policy ......................................................... 31

37.......... Matters that must be dealt with by industry code and industry standard               31

Division 4--Industry code                                                                                        34

38.......... Registration of industry code ........................................................... 34

39.......... ACMA may request code ................................................................ 35

40.......... Publication of notice where no body or association represents Internet service providers      35

41.......... Replacement of industry code .......................................................... 36

42.......... Compliance with industry code ........................................................ 36

43.......... Formal warnings--breach of industry code ...................................... 36

Division 5--Industry standard                                                                                37

44.......... ACMA may determine an industry standard if a request for an industry code is not complied with     37

45.......... ACMA may determine industry standard where no industry body or association formed     38

46.......... ACMA may determine industry standard--total failure of industry code              38

47.......... ACMA may determine industry standard--partial failure of industry code           39

48.......... Compliance with industry standard ................................................. 41

49.......... Formal warnings--breach of industry standard ............................... 41

50.......... Variation of industry standard .......................................................... 41

51.......... Revocation of industry standard ...................................................... 41

52.......... Public consultation on industry standard ......................................... 42

Division 6--Industry code and industry standard to be included on a Register                43

53.......... Industry code and industry standard to be included on a Register ... 43

Part 5--Complaints system: online provider rules                                             44

54.......... Online provider rules ........................................................................ 44

55.......... Compliance with online provider rules ............................................. 44

56.......... Remedial directions--breach of online provider rules ...................... 44

57.......... Continuing offences .......................................................................... 45

58.......... Formal warnings--breach of online provider rules ........................... 45

59.......... Federal Court may order a person to cease supplying Internet carriage services     45

Part 6--Complaints system: protection from civil proceedings                   46

60.......... Protection from civil proceedings ..................................................... 46

Part 7--Complaints system: review of decisions                                                 47

61.......... Review of decisions .......................................................................... 47

Part 7A--Prohibition of advertising of interactive gambling services     49

Division 1--Interpretation: definitions                                                              49

61AA.... Definitions ........................................................................................ 49

Division 2--Interpretation: interactive gambling service advertisement             51

61BA.... Basic meaning of interactive gambling service advertisement .......... 51

61BB..... Exception--political communication ................................................ 51

61BC..... Exception--Internet sites etc. and business documents ................... 52

61BD.... Exception--premises of providers ................................................... 52

61BE..... Exceptions--management advertisements etc. ................................. 52

61BF..... Exception--products or services having the same name as an interactive gambling service     53

61BG.... Exception--anti‑gambling advertisements ........................................ 54

61BGA. Exception--advertisements of a kind specified in the regulations ... 54

61BH.... Definition .......................................................................................... 54

Division 3--Interpretation: publication of interactive gambling service advertisement              55

61CA.... Basic meaning of publish an interactive gambling service advertisement 55

61CB..... Publish does not include broadcast or datacast ................................ 56

61CC..... Exception--trade communications ................................................... 56

61CD.... Exception--advertisements in telephone directories ........................ 56

61CE..... Exception--ordinary activities of exempt libraries .......................... 56

61CF..... Exception--acknowledgments of assistance or support .................. 57

Division 4--Broadcasting or datacasting of interactive gambling service advertisements in Australia                                                                                                                       58

61DA.... Interactive gambling service advertisements not to be broadcast or datacast in Australia        58

61DB.... Accidental or incidental broadcast or datacast permitted ................. 58

61DC.... Broadcast or datacast of advertisements during flights of aircraft .... 59

Division 5--Publication of interactive gambling service advertisements in Australia   60

61EA..... Interactive gambling service advertisements not to be published in Australia          60

61EB..... Periodicals distributed outside Australia--acts of publication permitted                61

61EC..... Australian sporting and cultural events of international significance--acts of publication permitted     61

61ED..... Accidental or incidental publication permitted ................................. 62

61EE..... Publication by person not receiving any benefit permitted .............. 63

61EF..... Publication of advertisements during flights of aircraft .................... 63

61EG..... Defence--advertising under existing contracts or arrangements ....... 63

61EH..... Defence--display of signs before 1 July 2003 ................................. 64

Division 6--Miscellaneous                                                                                       66

61FA..... Failure to broadcast, datacast or publish advertisement not actionable if this Part would be contravened              66

61FB..... Applications for the purposes of section 61EC ............................... 66

61FC..... Review of decisions .......................................................................... 67

61FD..... Additional conditions for licences under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992         67

61FE..... Reports to Parliament ....................................................................... 68

Part 8--Miscellaneous                                                                                                        70

62.......... Application of Criminal Code .......................................................... 70

63.......... Conduct by directors, employees and agents ................................... 70

64.......... Service of summons or process on foreign corporations--criminal proceedings      72

65.......... Service of notices .............................................................................. 72

66.......... Application of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 ......................... 72

67.......... Additional ACMA function--monitoring compliance with codes and standards    73

68.......... Review before 1 July 2003 ............................................................... 73

69.......... Operation of State and Territory laws ............................................. 74

69A....... Regulations about unenforceability of agreements relating to illegal interactive gambling services          74

70.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 75

Notes                                                                                                                                             77

An Act about interactive gambling, and for related purposes

  

Notes to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001

Note 1

The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 84, 2001 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

For application, saving or transitional provisions made by the Corporations (Repeals, Consequentials and Transitionals) Act 2001, see Act No. 55, 2001.

For application, saving or transitional provisions made by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2005, see Act No. 45, 2005.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Interactive Gambling Act 2001	84, 2001	11 July 2001	Ss. 15, 15A, 61AA-61FE: 8 Aug 2001 Ss. 16-31, 42, 43, 48, 49, 54-59: 12 Jan 2002 Remainder: Royal Assent
Corporations (Repeals, Consequentials and Transitionals) Act 2001	55, 2001	28 June 2001	Ss. 4-14 and Schedule 3 (items 296-302): 15 July 2001 (see Gazette 2001, No. S285) (a)	Ss. 4-14 [see Note 1]
Financial Services Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 2001	123, 2001	27 Sept 2001	Schedule 1 (items 250-256): 11 Mar 2002 (see Gazette 2001, No. GN42) (b)	--
Interactive Gambling Amendment Act 2001	139, 2001	1 Oct 2001	1 Oct 2001	--
Australian Communications and Media Authority (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2005	45, 2005	1 Apr 2005	Schedule 1 (items 68-70) and Schedule 4: 1 July 2005 (c) Schedule 2: (c)	Sch. 4
Communications Legislation Amendment (Content Services) Act 2007	124, 2007	20 July 2007	Schedule 1 (item 95): 20 Jan 2008	--

(a)     The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 was amended by Schedule 3 (items 296-302) only of the Corporations (Repeals, Consequentials and Transitionals) Act 2001, subsection 2(7)(a) of which provides as follows:

                 (7)   Items 296 to 302 of Schedule 3 commence on the later of:

                              (a)   the time when the Corporations Act 2001 commences; or

(b)    The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 was amended by Schedule 1 (items 250-256) only of the Financial Services Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 2001, subsections 2(1) and (8)(a) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   In this section:

                         FSR commencement means the commencement of item 1 of Schedule 1 to the Financial Services Reform Act 2001.

                 (8)   Subject to subsection (17), items 250 to 256 of Schedule 1 commence on the later of:

                              (a)   the FSR commencement; and.

(c)     Subsection 2(1) (items 2, 3 and 10) of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2005 provide as follows:

                 (1)   Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

 

Commencement information
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Provision(s)	Commencement	Date/Details
2.  Schedule 1	At the same time as section 6 of the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 commences.	1 July 2005
3.  Schedule 2	Immediately after the commencement of the provision(s) covered by table item 2.	1 July 2005
10.  Schedule 4	At the same time as section 6 of the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 commences.	1 July 2005

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted     am. = amended     rep. = repealed     rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Part 1
S. 3 .....................................	am. No. 45, 2005
S. 4 .....................................	am. Nos. 55 and 123, 2001; No. 45, 2005
Ss. 5, 6 ...............................	am. Nos. 55 and 123, 2001
S. 9 .....................................	rs. No. 55, 2001
	rep. No. 123, 2001
Part 3
Division 1
Heading to Div. 1 of Part 3 .	am. No. 45, 2005
Ss. 16-18 ...........................	am. No. 45, 2005
Division 2
Heading to Div. 2 of Part 3 .	am. No. 45, 2005
Heading to s. 20 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
S. 20 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Heading to s. 21 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
Ss. 21-23 ...........................	am. No. 45, 2005
Division 3
S. 24 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Note 2 to s. 24(1) ...............	am. No. 45, 2005
Ss. 25-27 ...........................	am. No. 45, 2005
Note to s. 27(1) ..................	am. No. 45, 2005
Heading to s. 31 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
S. 31 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Note to s. 31(2) ..................	am. No. 45, 2005
Part 4
Division 1
S. 32 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Division 3
S. 36....................................	am. No. 45, 2005; No. 124, 2007
S. 37....................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Division 4
S. 38 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Heading to s. 39 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
Ss. 39, 40 ...........................	am. No. 45, 2005
Ss. 42, 43 ...........................	am. No. 45, 2005
Division 5
Heading to s. 44 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
S. 44 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Heading to s. 45 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
S. 45 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Heading to s. 46 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
S. 46 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Heading to s. 47 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
S. 47 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Ss. 49-52 ...........................	am. No. 45, 2005
Division 6
S. 53 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Part 5
S. 56 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Ss. 58, 59 ...........................	am. No. 45, 2005
Part 7
S. 61 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Part 7A
Division 2
S. 61BA ..............................	am. No. 139, 2001
S. 61BGA ...........................	ad. No. 139, 2001
Part 8
S. 66 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005
Heading to s. 67 .................	am. No. 45, 2005
S. 67 ...................................	am. No. 45, 2005