The Government is still failing Australians on gambling

When Australia's Socceroos took to the field for a World Cup qualifier, many viewers expected the match to showcase the nation's footballing ambitions. Instead, it highlighted a different contest unfolding in Canberra: whether the Albanese government has done enough to remove gambling from Australian sport. Despite sweeping new legislation, betting promotions remained visible during parts of the broadcast, reinforcing concerns that children and families will continue to be exposed to gambling advertising.

To get an idea of the impact of gambling in Australia, see The Australia Institute’s real time National Gambling Toll losses calculator that shows losses of more than $105 billion by Australian gamblers since the Murphy Review made its strong policy recommendations to curtail the influence of the gambling industry in 2023.

The government's proposed reforms represent the most significant overhaul of gambling advertising rules in Australian history. The legislation would cap television gambling advertisements at three per hour between 6 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., ban advertisements during live sporting events within those hours, prohibit gambling logos on player uniforms and inside stadiums, outlaw celebrity and social media influencer endorsements, and tighten restrictions on online advertising, particularly for minors. The measures are due to take effect from January next year, pending parliamentary approval.

But broadcasters, sporting organisations and gambling reform advocates have all found reasons for dissatisfaction. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's analysis of the Socceroos broadcast found that advertisements from overseas betting operators and promotions appearing outside the proposed protected viewing periods would still reach many audiences, exposing what critics describe as significant loopholes in the legislation.

Among the strongest critics are campaigners like the Alliance for Gambling Reform who have spent years pushing for the implementation of all 31 recommendations from the landmark 2023 Murphy Review led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy. That report called for a phased three-year ban on all online gambling advertising, alongside the creation of a national gambling regulator with an explicit mandate to reduce gambling harm. Many advocates argue the government's proposal falls well short of that vision.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended the legislation as the toughest gambling advertising reforms Australia has ever introduced, arguing that it extends restrictions to overseas-based online gambling services while tackling advertising in places where children are most likely to encounter it. Yet his assertion that the package in some respects goes beyond the Murphy recommendations has been challenged by gambling reform advocates and several independent members of Parliament.

The debate reflects a broader shift in public attitudes toward gambling's place in Australian life. Once viewed largely as an accepted companion to professional sport, betting advertisements on television and online have increasingly become a focus of concern among health experts, parents and former athletes, who warn that constant exposure is normalising gambling for children. The proposed legislation would significantly reduce that visibility, but many argue it stops short of breaking the industry's close commercial relationship with sport.

As the legislation heads to a Senate inquiry before returning to Parliament, few stakeholders appear satisfied. Read why Tim Costello of the Alliance for Gambling Reform thinks the government needs to do much more to protect our children and all Australians from gambling and the impacts of gambling addiction.