The Australian government has announced that it will be clamping down on gamblers who are using their welfare payments to gamble. The government department, The Australian Crime Commission, declares that many Australian gamblers are faking their financial details and using their government welfare payments to gamble in slots or at the local casino. Additionally, some of the welfare money is linked to organised crime that launder money.

A similar investigation in 2006 and 2007 conducted by the department uncovered more than 2,300 welfare recipients that were gambling in high volume. A few of the names on the list happened to be well known participants of organised crime and money laundering. The Australian government estimates that organised crime costs the Australian economy roughly 10 – 15 billion dollars a year.

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