The Australian Government has strengthened consumer protections applying to the wagering industry.

The National Self-Exclusion Register (NSER) is one such measure to help punters exclude themselves from wagering via phone or digital platforms if harm becomes too serious.

From 2020, every bookmaker must embed self-exclusion at the core of its business practices. Self-exclusion prohibits trading when punters are registered on the NSER. It mandates data exchange with government to receive, and act upon, information about a punter’s wellbeing.

The fine for bookmakers not doing so can be up to $160,000 per day, per offence, per punter.