Responsible Gambling

RG CODE OF CONDUCT

Our Responsible Gambling message is: We are committed to responsible gambling and ensuring that a range of tools are available to our customers to manage their gambling. The RG message and this Code are available on our website and app.

For most people, gambling is a form of entertainment and is not a problem. But for some people, gambling is or can become a problem.

Gambling inherently involves the risk of losing funds that are bet. Customers acknowledge and accept this risk by opening a betting account and betting.

To gamble responsibly, customers should only gamble funds that they can afford to lose. Customers should also not spend excessive time gambling, especially if gambling causes distress or interferes with other activities such as family or work commitments.

Problem gambling support services can be accessed by calling 1800 858 858 or at gamblinghelponline.org.au or https://www.gambleaware.nsw.gov.au/.

Our rules, terms and conditions are available on our platforms.  For our South Australian customers, our operations are governed by the SA Codes of Practice.

Minors are not permitted to open a betting account or place a bet with us.  There is a system control that prevents minors from opening a betting account. Date of birth is verified during the account opening process.

We encourage customers to avoid engaging in extended and intensive gambling that may constitute problem gambling. A session timer is visible on the website/app that allows customers to monitor the duration of their betting session. Race and sports betting are time dependent. A customer’s awareness of the passing of time is made by the programming of the particular event. The scheduling of the events themselves ensure that customers are provided with many opportunities for regular breaks. We provide activity statements to customers each month which permits a customer to assess the time spent and intensity of their gambling.

We do not provide credit or the lending of money for the purposes of gambling.  Winnings are paid into the customer’s betting account and cannot be paid by cheque. Withdrawals from a betting account can be made into a nominated Australian bank account.

Pre-commitment

Customers can choose to set a pre-commitment limit that limits the amount of funds that can be deposited to their betting account in a particular period of time.  Deposit limits are available under the MyAccount section of our platforms. 

A request to set a pre-commitment limit is effective only once the customer has completed the online or other form (and received confirmation) or otherwise been advised by us that the pre-commitment limit is effective. If a customer withdraws their request for a pre-commitment limit before it has become effective, the pre-commitment limit is not effective.

If a customer sets a pre-commitment limit, they must not establish or operate another betting account with us or do anything else to circumvent the pre-commitment limit.

A customer can decrease their pre-commitment limit at any time and the new limit becomes effective immediately. If a customer requests to increase their pre-commitment limit, that increase will only become effective after 7 days to allow the customer time to reconsider their request to increase their limit. If the customer does not advise us within 7 days that they no longer wish to increase their pre-commitment limit, the limit will be increased as per the request.

We may provide customers with the option to request to self-exclude either temporarily or permanently from betting with us.   

A temporary or permanent self-exclusion is effective only once the customer has completed the online or other self-exclusion form (and received confirmation) or otherwise been advised by us that the temporary or permanent self-exclusion is effective. If a customer withdraws their request for self-exclusion before it has become effective, the customer is not considered to be self-excluded. A request for account closure, permanent account closure or similar type request is not a request for temporary or permanent self-exclusion. For a self-exclusion to be effective, the customer must complete the self-exclusion process.  If an exclusion is validly revoked, the person will no longer be excluded.  

If a customer self-excludes with us, they must not establish or operate another betting account with us or do anything else to circumvent the self-exclusion.

Once a temporary self-exclusion has expired, the customer is no longer excluded and can commence to bet with us.  If the customer wishes to request to extend their temporary self-exclusion or request to permanently self-exclude, they must make a new request to self-exclude in the MyAccount section of our platforms or contact us to expressly request this. 

A temporary or permanent self-exclusion, deposit limit, account closure and/or any other responsible gambling feature with this platform / brand is only with this platform / brand.  If a customer wishes to self-exclude or enable another type of RG tool with any other bookmaker, including any other brand / platform which operates under the same company and/or licence as us, they must do so directly with the other platform / brand / operator.   

Account Closure

Account closure can be enacted by a customer via our platforms under MyAccount.  An account closure request made to us in a 1 on 1 interaction between the customer and us by any method other under MyAccount such as LiveChat, email, phone or otherwise must be an unequivocal, unconditional and unambiguous account closure request.  Any conditional, equivocal or ambiguous reference or statement to us by a customer that is not an unequivocal, unconditional and unambiguous request for account closure is not an account closure request.  An example of an unequivocal, unconditional and unambiguous account closure request is ‘Please close my account.’  An example of a conditional, equivocal and/or ambiguous reference or statement by a customer about account closure is ‘if you don’t give me a bonus bet, close my account’.     

If you wish to close your betting account, you can phone +61 3 6316 5007.  You must follow any subsequent instructions.  Please note that making a phone call to us may not result is us receiving an immediate account closure request from you, and account closure by phone call may not be immediate.  Your account will remain open until we advise you that we have received your account closure request and that it has been actioned.  As described above, you can close your account at any time via our platforms under MyAccount.  

Barring Orders

Barring orders are available for South Australian residents only.  If you are a South Australian resident and you wish to have a barring order in place, please contact us by LiveChat or email and clearly and expressly request a South Australian barring order.  Please note that this type of barring order requires a form to be completed and provided to the South Australian government for its consideration as to whether a barring order is made.   

BetStop

Betstop is the national self-exclusion register. Betstop is a free service for people who want to exclude from all Australian online wagering providers. 

Information about BetStop (including how to register with BetStop) is available at betstop.gov.au or by calling 1800 238 786.

 

Other

Where a customer has requested information about or assistance with a gambling problem, they will be directed to this Responsible Gambling Policy or to problem gambling support services.  Where a customer has requested information about or assistance with self-exclusion, they will be directed to this Responsible Gambling Policy or otherwise directed to the tools that we have available. 

Where a customer is displaying indicators of distress that may be related to problem gambling, they will be provided with information for problem gambling support services, directed to the Responsible Gambling Policy or this RG Code, or be asked if they have a gambling problem and/or if they are gambling within their means.

Indicators of distress that may be related to problem gambling exist when the customer states that they do or may have a gambling problem or that their gambling is causing them distress. Interactions with customers will occur in a manner that respects the customer’s right to privacy.

Staff members are not permitted to gamble with us.  Where a staff member indicates that he or she may have a gambling problem, the staff member will be provided with information for problem gambling support services or directed to the Responsible Gambling Policy or this RG Code. Interactions with staff will occur in a manner that respects the staff member’s right to privacy.

A director of our business will procure the review of publicly available information from a problem gambling support service every two years.

Any advertising and promotions by us will: (a) comply with the advertising code of ethics adopted by the Australian Association of National Advertisers; (b) not be false, misleading or deceptive about odds, prizes or the chances of winning; (c) have the consent of any person identified as winning a prize prior to publication; (d) not be offensive or indecent in nature; (e) not create an impression that gambling is a reasonable strategy for financial betterment; and (f) not promote the consumption of alcohol while purchasing gambling products.  Advertising and promotions by us will be reviewed by a senior manager to ensure compliance with these requirements.

Complaints

Ministerial Direction s 430 of 17 September 2018 requires that we implement and comply with a process for resolving complaints from customers about our compliance with and the operation of this RG Code.

Our complaint process is designed to:

(a) specify how a complaint can be made;

(b) specify the process for resolution of a complaint;

(c) provide for independent review of decisions made by us about customer complaints;

(d) specify how information about complaints will be collected and retained;

(e) enable our regulator, the Greyhound Welfare Integrity Commission, NSW (GWIC) and licenced by Liquor and Gaming NSW to monitor our compliance with the complaints process.

Complaints under this RG Code can be made to us by email (to the email address on our Contact Us page) or Live Chat. 

We assess each complaint against our terms and conditions, this Code and our regulatory obligations based on available information and evidence.  We may need additional information from you to assist in our assessment and resolution of your complaint.  If that occurs, we will contact you.  We will endeavour to respond to complaints within 14 days where possible.

 

Independent Review of Complaint

There are numerous independent review mechanisms available to a customer if they are dissatisfied with our response to the complaint. 

The customer can write to us and request an independent internal review.  To do this, the customer should email us (to the email address on our Contact Us page) with the words ‘Independent internal review of complaint’ in the subject line of the email so we know that the customer is requesting the independent review described here.  The email should set out why the customer disagrees with the initial finding and/or resolution and include any additional information that the customer thinks is relevant.   

Upon receipt of an internal independent review request, we will have a different staff member than the original decision maker/s within our business reassess the complaint and provide a written response.      

If the customer remains dissatisfied with that resolution, the customer may seek an independent review by one or more of:

-       Greyhound Welfare Integrity Commission, NSW (GWIC) and licenced by Liquor and Gaming NSW

who may undertake an independent review where a complaint falls within the jurisdiction and matters that can be considered by that body.

The GWIC is a well-resourced government regulator that actively encourages complaints via its website and social media channels so that it can independently review our compliance with and the operation of this RG Code.

If you are dissatisfied with the GWIC, you can seek an independent review of the GWIC's actions by contacting the New South Wales Ombudsman. 

Independent review is also available via the Courts and Tribunals.  Further information is available at https://ncat.nsw.gov.au/.  For free, confidential and independent legal advice, you may wish to approach a Community Legal Centre.  Further information is available here: clcs.org.au.    

Our complaint records (including our decisions and any internal independent review) will be held for a period of seven years and will be made available for inspection by the GWIC on request. Information about complaints will be collected and retained in accordance with our Privacy Policy.