Lawmakers Push for Inquiry into NT’s Online Gambling Regulator
Northern Territory legislators are demanding a parliamentary review of Australia’s de facto online gambling regulator, citing serious concerns about delays, weak oversight, and limited enforcement powers. With billions in wagers flowing through the region, many argue the system has grown too vast and influential to operate without stronger accountability.
The Heart of Australia’s Betting Industry Under Question
The Northern Territory serves as the main operational base for Australia’s online gambling sector, largely due to its favorable tax environment. This has attracted 43 corporate bookmakers who, collectively, manage an estimated $50 billion in wagers annually.
Oversight for this massive, nationwide industry falls to the NT Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC). However, recent findings have brought the commission’s effectiveness into sharp relief. A recent investigation revealed that the NTRWC meets only once a month and has no full-time members. Furthermore, until a recent report, the commission had not published an annual report since 1993.
Critical issues highlighted include long delays in handling complaints and the regulator’s limited powers to investigate or penalize betting companies found to be in breach of regulations.
Lawmakers Question the Regulator’s Effectiveness
During Tuesday’s parliamentary session, Independent MP Justine Davis called on Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby to refer the Racing and Wagering Act – which defines the NTRWC’s powers – to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee for review. Davis said:
“If a commission, whose chair accepts hospitality from bookmakers and maintains betting accounts … [and] that has never canceled a [bookmaker] license, despite numerous breaches, is working well within its act, then the act itself has a problem.”
“The NTRWC was never built to be a national regulator, and it cannot act as one.”
Government Calls for Evidence of Misconduct
Attorney-General Boothby responded the following day, stating that any allegations of misconduct must be supported by proof. She said:
“If people have evidence of any real claims and you’ve got proof, then give it to the right body to investigate. Put the evidence forward to the groups so that we can, if there are problems, we can fix them.”
Her remarks were echoed by several lawmakers, including Greens MP Kat McNamara, independent Yiŋiya Guyula, and former Labor racing minister Chansey Paech, who originally drafted the Racing and Wagering Act.
Rising Pressure for Regulatory Reform
The commission’s recently released annual report underscores the scale of the challenge. Australia’s online betting ecosystem now includes 10.1 million registered customers, 1.8 billion bets placed, and a total turnover of $42.4 billion – yet the NT government collected just $18.8 million in tax revenue.
Meanwhile, Australia’s total gambling losses have surpassed $25 billion annually, the highest per capita in the world. These figures have fueled mounting calls for a comprehensive overhaul of the Northern Territory’s regulatory framework to ensure greater transparency, enforcement capacity, and national alignment in the online gambling sector.