Push for Australian Government to Make Significant Move in Banning Gambling Ads

As the nation braces for the conclusions of a parliamentary review expected to release policy guidelines this week, anti-gambling advocates and health professionals in Australia are escalating their demands. They are urging the government to seize this rare 'once-in-a-generation' moment to address the rampant gambling advertising.

The head of the parliamentary inquiry, Labor MP Peta Murphy, has already presented convincing data highlighting the societal damages from gambling advertisements. There's a general anticipation that the forthcoming guidelines will advocate for imposing further restrictions on betting ads often aired during live sporting events.

Interestingly, both ruling and opposition parties have shown support for curbing gambling advertisements. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has previously expressed his disdain, while the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, utilized his budget response to call for reforms.

Initial research indicates that gambling advertising has led to children recognizing gambling brands merely by their colors. However, the expected recommendations might face pushback from parts of the industry concerned about reduced funding for grassroots sports or free coverage of them.

Since inquiries were launched just before the 2022 AFL finals match, community opposition to gambling advertisements has grown stronger. A survey conducted amongst 3,000 AFL fans showed a majority in favor of a full ban. Despite backing from MPs from both political sides, an outright ban appears unlikely.

Renowned anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello remarked, 'Just as it’s unacceptable for children to recognize cigarette brand names like Peter Stuyvesant and Marlboro, they shouldn’t know Sportsbet or Bet365. It's a grave policy failing, and Australia's online losses per capita are 20% higher than elsewhere because of the relentless torrent of sports betting ads.'

Gambling and health researcher Samantha Thomas from Deakin University mirrored Costello's views, urging the government to label gambling and betting as public health concerns, necessitating expanded roles for the health ministry.

Samantha Thomas also commented, 'Anything short of a total ban on all promotional forms leaves room for the gambling industry to continue exposing youth to its marketing. Like we did with tobacco, we must secure gambling harm prevention measures from the vested interests of the gambling sector and those profiting from it.'

Some betting companies have acknowledged the inevitable. Take Tabcorp, a top-tier online bookmaker in Australia; the company has committed to reducing its online advertising efforts, irrespective of the inquiry's regulatory recommendations.

Many anti-gambling campaigners view ad regulation as one of the easiest reforms for the government. Most anticipate calls for a national online gambling regulator to be established, equipped with more authority and resources than local bodies.