The Australian Greens have put a blanket gambling advertising ban before the Senate, while the government says its own response on gambling ads will come before the end of 2024.
The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Ban Gambling Ads) Bill 2024 would prohibit gambling advertising on television, radio, print and online. According to the report, it had its second reading in the Senate on 9 October. The debate was adjourned, and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young is due to continue her speech at a later date.
What the bill says
The bill is being championed by Senator Hanson-Young. According to the source, the bill states that a comprehensive ban could help stop "the onslaught of gambling advertising that encourages risky betting behaviours and lessen its harms on our communities". It also states that such a ban "has been recommended time and time again by experts and there is wide public support".
The Greens also took aim at the major parties, saying it would be "extremely disappointing" if they continued to show they lacked the courage to stand up to the gambling lobby. They referred to a dinner with Sportsbet and a free ticket to the Melbourne Cup. These are the Greens' assertions, and the source does not provide evidence for the specific claims.
Senator Hanson-Young has also asked the Environment and Communications References Committee to investigate the impact of gambling and gambling ads on Australian communities, families and children. She said the inquiry would also examine the government's response to the Murphy Report and what she insists is a lack of action to protect vulnerable groups from gambling harm.
The government's position
Since June 2023, the government has been considering its response to the 2023 Murphy Report, which made 31 recommendations for reforming the gambling sector. Senator Hanson-Young told the Senate on 9 October that a unanimous report, tabled in the House of Representatives more than 12 months ago and supported by all sides of politics, recommended a total ban on gambling advertising. She said those recommendations were "sitting on a shelf in the minister's office not being acted upon". That is her characterisation, and the government has not accepted it in the source material.
"We're looking at the most robust way in which we can make this effective and ensure that those harms are minimised." – Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, speaking to ABC TV on 11 October
Ms Rowland told ABC TV on 11 October that she will announce her plan to tackle gambling ads by the end of 2024. The report notes that parliament has only three sitting weeks left before it rises for the year at the end of November. It does not say what form the government's plan will take or whether it will include a ban.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has publicly dismissed calls for a ban. He told parliament in September that he felt campaigners were ultimately focused on banning gambling outright. Various stakeholders, including current and former politicians and addiction charities, have supported a ban and accused the government of ignoring their arguments.
Media industry concerns and next steps
The source says media agencies have been in talks with the government about the difficulties they could face if gambling ads are banned. The government said all relevant stakeholders are being included in the process. During the Senate debate, Senator Hanson-Young also referred to comments from minister Bill Shorten defending free-to-air media and arguing that a ban would seriously undermine it. She replied that the country was "really in trouble" if local and national media had to rely on gambling addiction to fund their news organisations.
The bill still faces a long path. As the source describes it, a Senate bill has two readings. If it passes that stage, it moves to the committee phase and could be referred to a committee for inquiry. The wider Senate would then discuss the policy and vote on its final form, and it must receive royal assent to become law. Nothing in the source indicates the bill has passed any of these stages.
Online casino services remain prohibited in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. The proposed ban concerns advertising of gambling products more broadly, and the source does not detail how the bill would define the services covered.