‘Half-hearted’ gambling crackdown blasted by reformers

Advocates have blasted perceived government inaction on curbing gambling advertisements after reports suggested it would turn its back on a blanket ban.

Instead of adopting the recommendations of a landmark review that called for betting ads to be phased out, a media report said the government would limit but not eliminate the advertising.

The move would be matched with a ban on betting ads on social media and other digital platforms, the report said.

A gambling review, led by late Labor MP Peta Murphy and delivered in 2023, made 31 recommendations with the centerpiece a phase-out of gambling ads across three years to allow sporting codes to find replacement revenue.

The Alliance for Gambling Reform welcomed a social media advertising ban but called on the government to “do the right thing” and ban all ads.

“Perversely, this move to put limited restrictions on gambling advertising could actually make the situation worse,” CEO Martin Thomas said.

“We know this is a real risk after similar rule changes in 2017 saw the total volume of gambling advertising in prime-time spots on metro television increased by 40 per cent.”

Independent MP Zoe Daniel, who has been part of a crossbench push for more action on gambling reform, called the forecast move “half-hearted and half-arsed” and “a betrayal of Peta Murphy’s legacy.”

“How many more young and impressionable sports fans are going to have their lives ruined before the government gets the message?” she said.

“Once again the gambling giants have been given the inside running on the government’s plan while gambling harm experts have been frozen out.”

The Nine newspapers report suggested betting ads on television would be capped at two per hour on each channel, with ads banned for one hour on either side of live sporting events.

Ads are currently banned five minutes before play and until five minutes after, but only between 5am and 8.30pm.

When pressed on why the government had not implemented all the report’s recommendations in July, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed to efforts to reduce gambling harm that included setting up a national self-exclusion register.