Independent Member for Murray Helen Dalton MP has joined Federal Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie and Tasmanian Independent MP Kristie Johnston to discuss their plans to simultaneously introduce bills in their respective parliaments, which would require gambling companies to return gambling losses that were originally the proceeds of crime to the victims of that crime.

The three MPs are acting in concert because they well understand that a battering ram is what’s needed to breach the gambling company fortress. Whether or not the Labor and Liberal parties support their bills is now a fundamental test of their character. They anticipate colleagues in other jurisdictions will follow their lead.

"Sports gambling companies in Australia are directly connected to crime," Ms Dalton said, when she introduced her Return of Proceeds of Crime (Gambling Companies) bill to parliament.

"One of the main reasons that Betfair, Ladbrokes, TAB and all other gambling companies make so much money is that they receive stolen money. Even when they find out it is stolen money, the gambling companies choose to keep that stolen money.

"At the moment, gambling companies deliberately and knowingly hold onto the proceeds of crime. They keep the stolen money even when they know that those monies are the proceeds of crime and even when they know the names of the victims the money was stolen from and how much was stolen.

"As far as I am concerned, that makes those gambling companies complicit in those crimes. It is time that New South Wales law is changed to require that the proceeds of crime currently being hoarded by gambling companies are given back to victims. Gambling companies see that stolen money as profits. But for the victims it is often their life savings."

Mr Wilkie has introduced his Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Amendment (Making Gambling Businesses Accountable) Bill in Federal Parliament twice before.

“My Bill puts a positive obligation on gambling companies to report to AUSTRAC if they have reason to suspect a person is paying for a gambling service with money they’ve obtained illegally,” Mr Wilkie said. “It also enables the Federal Court to order a gambling company to financially compensate the victim of the crime, where it’s found that a bettor has paid for a gambling service using funds they obtained illegally.

“This Bill was developed in consultation with Gavin Fineff, a former financial advisor who lost $3.3 million of his clients’ money through gambling. Gavin understands that he did the wrong thing and is now in jail. However, he is not the only one to blame. Indeed Gavin was targeted by three of the country’s largest online betting agencies, Tabcorp, Ladbrokes and BetEasy, whose predatory practices took advantage of his gambling addiction.

“The companies knew Gavin’s gambling was suspicious, and they took advantage of his addiction by encouraging his continued gambling, including turning a blind eye to where the money was coming from, setting up accounts under fake names, inviting him to VIP events, and offering him tens of thousands of dollars in bonus bets. Yet despite this, and despite the Supreme Court identifying the victims and their losses, the gambling companies were not required by law to return the stolen funds to victims. This is simply unconscionable.

“It’s way beyond time for gambling predators to be dragged into line and held accountable. My Bill will force gambling companies to do the right thing and will go some way to remedying the harm for innocent victims that gambling addiction can cause.”