Australian ISPs face prosecution over Net gambling - News - Business

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Australian ISPs face prosecution over Net gambling

By David Hellaby, Special to ZDNet Australia
October 17, 2001
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Australian-ISPs-face-prosecution-over-Net-gambling/0,139023166,120261217,00.htm

Australian Internet Service Providers face prosecution if they do not protect their subscribers from illegal gambling content on the Internet.

In a move designed to take the onus for blocking content away from the ISP, the Internet Industry Association has released a draft Interactive Gambling Code of Practice that calls on them to provide content filters.

Association chief executive Peter Coroneos says that the code is intended to shield association members from prosecution under the new Interactive Gambling Act and stop them from being forced to block content hosted offshore.

Under the draft code Internet Service Provider must provide each subscriber with a scheduled filter to block illegal gaming content.

They will be able to charge for the filter.

In the case of individual subscribers the ISP will have the option of providing the filter through an online or disk based registration process, but in the case of commercial subscribers, ISPs will have meet the user's network requirements by providing the appropriate software and/or facilitating access to firewall consultancy services.

However, the ISP will not be required to supply them to individuals, businesses or schools that indicate they already have one of the scheduled filters or some other means of restricting access to prohibited gambling content.

By providing the filters the code places the onus on the subscriber to filter what they access from the Internet, however, ISP's who fail to comply with the code can be forced to comply by the Australian Broadcasting Authority and may be prosecuted under the Interactive Gambling Act.

The code lists 15 approved filters and filter services that will be available to ISPs. However, more may be added later.

The IIA has called for comments on the draft code before filing it with the Australian Broadcasting Authority for formal registration. Members will have until November 15 to make submissions on the proposed code.