Australian government faces pressure to ban gambling ads
Anti-gambling advocates and public health experts continue to push the government to ban gambling ads in the country.
Australia.- The Australian government is under increasing pressure to ban or further restrict gambling ads. The pressure comes as the outcomes of an inquiry into online gambling and its impact on people with gambling problems are expected to be released this week.
Led by Labor MP Peta Murphy, the inquiry has already presented evidence of harm caused by gambling ads. According to analysts, the recommendations will advocate for stricter regulations on gambling ads before and after live sports broadcasts, an idea that is supported by both the government and the opposition.
Although a complete ban seems unlikely, Tim Costello, head of the Alliance for Gambling Reform emphasised the possibility of cooperation between the government and the opposition party “to break free from the saturation of gambling ads.”
Drawing parallels with the ban on tobacco advertising, Costello argued that prohibiting gambling ads should be the ultimate goal.
Gambling researcher Charles Livingstone, who appeared before the inquiry, has recommended a gradual phasing out of advertising over time with financial support for sports and broadcasters to alleviate their concerns. Livingstone also called for betting limits to be made mandatory rather than voluntary.
Samantha Thomas, a gambling and health researcher at Deakin University, has urged the government to view wagering as a public health issue and increase the involvement of the health department. To effectively protect young people from gambling promotions, Thomas insisted that comprehensive marketing bans must be implemented.
During its first term, the Albanese government has implemented a ban on credit card use for online gambling and has updated warning slogans to replace the “gamble responsibly” tagline in advertisements.
See also: Victorian gambling harm service advocates for more online gambling protection
