Alliance brands Albanese’s gambling reforms a “smokescreen”
The Alliance for Gambling Reform has labelled the Albanese government’s proposed gambling advertising reforms a “mere shadow” of the landmark Murphy Report, urging a Senate inquiry to strengthen the legislation before it becomes law.
The advocacy group said the inquiry represented a “golden opportunity” to overhaul the government’s response, arguing the proposed measures fall well short of the recommendations handed down by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy in 2023.
Alliance for Gambling Reform Chief Advocate Tim Costello rejected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s suggestion that parts of the legislation go further than the Murphy Report.
“The government’s reforms as a whole do nowhere near what the Murphy Report into online gambling recommended – these were a full gambling ad ban, the banning of inducements, the creation of a national gambling regulator and to treat gambling as a public health issue,” Costello said.
“The government’s proposed reforms will not protect children, will not delink sport and wagering and will not end the saturation of media ads that Australians are being exposed to every day.”
The criticism comes after the federal government introduced legislation this week that would cap gambling advertisements on television, ban ads during live sport at certain times and prohibit celebrity and influencer endorsements, rather than implementing the blanket advertising ban recommended by the Murphy inquiry.
Alliance CEO Martin Thomas warned gambling companies were increasingly targeting younger Australians through digital platforms.
“The evidence shows that underage kids as young as 14 are being targeted through social media to download gambling apps, and betting ads are appearing in children’s games and increasingly popular online games are including gambling-type functions,” Thomas said.
“Research by the Australia Institute shows more than 600,000 underaged kids aged 12 to 17 bet more than $18 million a year.”
The Alliance welcomed the Senate inquiry, saying it offered parliament an opportunity to strengthen the legislation before it comes into force.
“This is possibly our last, best chance to get strong laws to protect our children and to protect the community,” Thomas said.
Outside influences, including Australia’s major sporting leagues and broadcasters, are also likely to weigh heavily on the debate.
Betting companies have become significant commercial partners of the AFL, NRL and television networks over the past decade, with gambling advertising and sponsorship now deeply embedded in sports broadcasts. Those commercial relationships have led reform advocates to argue there are powerful incentives to maintain the status quo, even as political pressure mounts for tougher gambling advertising restrictions.
The Senate inquiry is expected to report back when Parliament returns in August.
