Opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has rightly put a national spotlight on Australia’s sports gambling advertising crisis but his proposal for hour-long bans before and after live sport do not go far enough.

The chief executive of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Carol Bennett, said sports gambling advertising was out of control in Australia and was a key ingredient in Australia’s gambling epidemic.

“Sports wagering is the fastest growing form of gambling in Australia with losses now amounting to more than $7 billion annually. It’s a ruthless, poorly regulated industry that targets young people” Ms Bennett said. 

“Mr Dutton’s proposal in his Budget reply speech, to impose an hour-long ban on advertising before and after games, is welcome. Any strengthening of the weak laws we have on sports gambling advertising is good.”

“But there is very poor regulation of this industry, it is why our screens are constantly bombarded and the only real answer is to have a total ban on sports advertising.”

Ms Bennett said Australia has been a world leader in banning advertising for other harmful products such as tobacco and a ban on sports gambling advertising should be no different.

“We would encourage politicians on all sides of the political divide to come together to protect our kids, to protect our community from the constant bombardment of sports gambling advertising that has hijacked sport in Australia,” Ms Bennett said.

“Only a total ban on advertising will work, we know historically when tighter restrictions have been introduced during live sport back in 2018 it actually led to a 50% increase in the total volume of gambling ads on tv and radio.”