An Australian gambling helpline has called on the federal government to adopt a blanket ban on gambling advertising, as debate continues over how to respond to the Murphy Report released in 2023. According to the trade publication iGaming Business, the government is instead considering a watered-down version of the total ban proposed in that report.
What the government is weighing
The model under consideration, as reported, would limit gambling ads to two per hour until 10pm. Ads would also be banned during the hour before and the hour after a live sports broadcast. The source does not say which gambling products or advertisers the cap would cover, and it does not give a start date.
The final government response is expected shortly, according to Jamie Nettleton, a partner at Addisons Gambling Law. Any proposal would then need to be implemented through legislation filed in parliament, so nothing has yet changed for broadcasters or advertisers.
The helpline's case
SHARC chief executive Clare Davies argued for a total ban in a letter to government. She said Australians are the highest gambling nation per capita in the world and lose $25bn every year. The source notes that she referred to an Australian Gambling Statistics report, which states that expenditure reached $25.9bn in 2018-19, although no source for the broader claim is given.
"The cost is more than just financial – gambling not only negatively impacts those who gamble, but also their families [and] friends," Clare Davies, SHARC chief executive, said.
Davies also said some operators "appear to target children" through endorsements with sports and media personalities in Australia. That is her view, and the source does not provide evidence or name any operator. SHARC's letter also cited a 2016 report on gambling-related harm in Victoria, which links gambling to mental ill-health, family violence, poverty, alcohol and drug use, and homelessness.
An alliance of former politicians, including former prime ministers John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull, has also backed a total ban. The group cited an increase in what it called "devastating" social harm, including financial loss, health and mental health problems, partner violence, family break-up and suicide. According to the source, the group wrote to the government in August demanding that all gambling advertising be banned within three years.
Government and opposition resistance
Government ministers have dismissed a total ban. The source says they argue that losing gambling ad revenue would put free-to-air media in the country "under attack". Minister Bill Shorten said the government's response to the Murphy Report should focus on measures that protect children from gambling, including restricting in-stadium and sports jersey sponsorships.
On the opposition side, shadow minister for finance and public services Jane Hume said the Liberal party's policy of banning ads during sports broadcasts would seek to protect children who watch sport with their parents. The source does not set out how this differs in detail from the government's proposed hourly cap.
The Australian Institute thinktank has advised a 2% levy on operator revenue to help replace lost advertising income. The source does not say whether the government is considering that proposal, or what the levy would raise.
What remains unclear
Several details are undisclosed in the source: the final shape of the government's response, the timeline for any legislation, and how any cap would be enforced. Online casino services remain prohibited in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and the source does not say whether the proposed limits would apply beyond licensed gambling services such as sports betting. Anyone concerned about their own gambling or that of someone close to them should seek support from a gambling helpline or counselling service.