According to reports in the Australian media, Suicide Prevention Australia has asked the Government to regulate the gambling industry's data sharing.

The suicide prevention organisation is concerned with the data sharing that goes on privately between companies when exchanging clients.

The Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communication is currently reviewing online gambling and the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act.

Reforms to the act could prevent gambling service providers from accepting credit card payments and can result in penalties for companies that continue to do so.

Suicide Prevention Australia say the changes are welcoming; however, it argues blocking the use of credit cards is not sufficient enough to reduce the issue of problem gambling.

The body believes that when a client stops betting with one company, their details are simply exchanged with another company and they are then targeted through promotions or incentives.

Suicide Prevention Australia has therefore has asked the Government to consider tightening privacy regulations for gambling companies and to ban operators from sharing or selling customer details across the market.

It also pointed out that the banning of credit cards may deter people from legal providers and become involved in illegal offshore gambling.

Suicide Prevention Australia has found that illegal gambling providers have been using third-party payments to hide their gambling operations.