Victims of gambling-related theft deserve justice.
How can it be gambling companies get to keep money that’s been stolen to gamble?
There is no good reason they should benefit from the proceeds of crime. It’s wrong.
Yet this is what gambling companies are doing right now. They keep money even though there’s a pile of red flags a punter is betting with stolen money.
But instead of acting on those red flags, gambling companies through their local venues ramp up the inducements, the hospitality, and the gifts to maximise their take from gambling addicts.
I’ll soon introduce a bill to Parliament – a Private Member’s Bill – that will, through the courts, force gambling companies to return money stolen to gamble.
My bill will allow the Supreme Court to make orders for the return of the stolen money, where they can see that the stolen money was used to gamble.
As well as making sure victims of theft get their money back in full, my bill also puts a duty on gambling companies to report to police when they suspect someone might be using stolen money to gamble. They already have to do this in relation to suspected money laundering activity, so this bill is just an extension of this duty.
You might ask why should a gambling business return money when they can’t be sure it was stolen? Firstly, if it was any other kind of property our existing laws would require that property be returned whether they knew it was stolen or not. Secondly, a court will decide based on the facts of each case whether a business has received stolen money. And thirdly, the money isn’t theirs – there is a victim of crime who in fairness should have it back.
A similar law is already in place in the UK and is working well.
Tasmanian Supreme Court data shows a pattern of people committing financial fraud and theft to fund a gambling addiction.
South Australia’s gambling watchdog found 50 per cent of problem gamblers admit to committing crimes in order to gamble.
In Tasmania butcher “Robbo” Robinson had his $420,000 retirement savings stolen by his bookkeeper, who was addicted to gambling.
The offender was ordered to pay back some of the money but it’s only being paid in tiny instalments, leaving Robbo’s retirement in ruins.
My bill would have recovered Robbo’s money from the gambling company who pocketed his money.
The bill will save future victims though from suffering Robbo’s fate.
It’s time to ensure justice for victims of gambling-related theft.
My bill is part of an effort by independent MPs to create laws nationally and in each state to address this injustice.