Media reports the Federal Government’s will not honour the recommendations of the Murphy report by rejecting recommendations to impose a phased-in ban on all gambling advertising is ‘bitterly disappointing’.

But the Alliance has welcomed a potential crackdown on social media gambling advertising as ‘significant’ and again urged the government to implement all 31 recommendations of the Murphy Report.

It follows media reports that the Communications Minister, Michelle Rowland, will take to Cabinet a proposal to cap gambling ads on TV to two ads per hour on each channel and to ban ads an hour before and after live sport. It was also reported it would impose a blanket ban on betting ads on social media and other digital platforms.

The Chief Executive of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Martin Thomas, said the evidence shows putting limits on the number and timing of gambling adverts was doomed to fail.

“We hope these reports are not true. The government still has time to do the right thing to ban all gambling ads. Certainly, a proposed ban on social media gambling advertising is a step in the right direction.”

“Perversely, this move to put limited restrictions on gambling advertising could actually make the situation worse. We know this is a real risk after similar rule changes in 2017 saw the total volume of gambling advertising in primetime spots on metro television increased by 40 percent,” he said.

The Alliance’s Chief Advocate, Tim Costello, said the rejection of the gambling ad ban reflected the power of the gambling lobby.

“If the reports are true this decision just underlined the power of the gambling lobby and its allies and those interests have trumped the concerns of most Australians,” Rev. Costello said.

“I met with the Prime Minister once last year and with the Communications Minister only twice, but apparently this government continues to engage frequently with the gambling lobby and those who profit from the proliferation of gambling advertisements.”

Studies show that 7 in 10 Australians believe there are too many betting advertisements, and that gambling advertising on television should be banned; and parents in particular are concerned about their children’s vulnerability to gambling advertising. 

The Murphy inquiry, chaired by Labor MP, Peta Murphy, and unanimously supported by inquiry members from both sides of politics, found that the “inescapable torrent” of gambling advertising is normalising online gambling and its links with sport, grooming children and young people to gamble, and encouraging riskier behaviour.

Australians lose over $25 billion each year to gambling, the highest per capita spend in the world.

Gambling harm is a massive public health issue, linked to poor physical and mental health, poverty and homelessness, criminal activity, family violence, and suicide.  

Exposure to advertising can normalise gambling participation, lead to early uptake of online gambling and increased risk of harm and can encourage impulse betting and continued and intensified wagering. 

Tim Costello and Martin Thomas are available for interview