The Parliament of Australia convened for its spring session on Monday, with a proposed crackdown on gambling advertising expected to be one of the most contested issues before the legislature in the coming weeks, according to a report by trade publication Casino.org.
What the government is reportedly proposing
The report says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor government is expected to push for limits on gambling-related television advertising rather than a full prohibition. Under the proposal as described by Casino.org, gambling ads would be prohibited online and on television during children's programming. Gambling marketing would also be restricted around live sport, and would not run during live broadcasts or for an hour either side of the start and finish of a game.
The source says gambling firms would still be allowed to sponsor team jerseys, and on-field and in-stadium signage would remain. Legislation had not been detailed in the source material, and it does not say when any vote might be held. Some wording in the report on how the online and television limits would work is brief, so the final design cannot be confirmed from this source alone.
Mr Albanese was quoted as saying the issue is complex and the government is taking a comprehensive approach.
"Recognizing that this is a complex issue, we're taking a comprehensive approach." - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as quoted by Casino.org
Casino.org reports that Labor holds 78 of the 151 seats in the House of Representatives and 25 of the 76 Senate seats. That would leave the government dependent on other parties for legislation in the Senate, though the report does not spell out how any vote might play out.
Calls for a complete ban
The Greens and other crossbench parties are campaigning for a total ban on gambling advertising, according to the report. The Greens position is backed by the Alliance for Gambling Reform, which Casino.org describes as an independent, not-for-profit group that seeks to reduce gambling harm.
The alliance wrote to Parliament before the session urging the government to outlaw all gambling ads. Its letter, as quoted in the report, claimed there was "strong evidence that gambling companies are now grooming our kids by targeting children as young as 14 through social media". That is the alliance's assertion; the source material does not provide the underlying evidence.
The letter asks the government and opposition to publicly commit to the "swift adoption and implementation" of all recommendations from the 2023 Murphy Report. According to Casino.org, the report was led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, who died in December 2023, and recommended a blanket ban on gambling adverts. The letter is signed by 74 current or former lawmakers and health experts, including former prime ministers John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull.
Background: gambling in Australia and public attitudes
Casino.org says Australia has some of the highest per capita gambling losses in the world, with Australians losing about AU$30 billion a year. It cites the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare as saying nearly four in 10 Australians gamble at least weekly. Sports betting, horse racing, lotteries and pokies are listed among the popular forms.
The report also refers to a 2023 poll commissioned by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Of the 1,765 adults surveyed, a majority said seeing or hearing wagering advertising influenced their betting, and a majority said such marketing puts young people at higher risk of gambling harm. The poll concluded that Australians "predominantly support" greater restrictions on gambling ads, according to the report.
The source does not give a timetable for legislation, the detailed text of the government's plan, or any response from gambling operators or broadcasters. Those details remain undisclosed, and Pokiestralia will report on them as they emerge.