IN THE NEWS

Labor MP Dr Mike Freelander is backing a gambling ad ban, stating: "If there was a conscience vote given in the parliament I've got no doubt we'd be able to ban gambling advertising, because I think there's a general consensus we need to act on it, that it does cause a lot of harm."

The parliamentary group Dr Freelander co-chairs will host The Alliance and other advocates in Canberra TODAY.

The Alliance’s CEO Martin Thomas exposed a national loophole: "A single NT licence allows foreign companies to operate nationwide, bypassing stronger regulatory regimes that in places in other states."

It’s time to act. Let’s reduce gambling harm.

Reverend Dr Tim Costello is calling on all community leaders and changemakers to take a stand against gambling harm.

Cafs Ballarat are hosting a free Gambling Harm Awareness Event to spark real change. Hear from lived-experience speakers, connect with local experts, and help shape future harm reduction strategies.

🗓 Wednesday 19 November
🕙 10:00am
📍 Mercure Ballarat, 613 Main Road, Golden Point

Mark Kempster will share his lived experience at the upcoming webinar, Beating the Odds: Problem Gambling in Our Youth, hosted by The Kids Research Institute Australia.

The event explores the changing face of gambling in Australia and the steps being taken to help young people overcome gambling harm.

Attendees will gain insights from research, policy, and lived experience, and have the opportunity to join a Q&A with the panel.

Speakers include:
🎙️ MP Kate Chaney
🎙️ Dr Vincent Mancini
🎙️ Dr Krista Fisher
🎙️ Mark Kempster

📅 11 November

One of NSW’s most profitable gambling venues - billionaire Sam Arnaout’s Wentworth Hotel - has been fined for repeatedly allowing patrons to withdraw cash on credit, a clear breach of the law.

ILGA found $221,000 was withdrawn over 7 months, including $80,000 during high-risk late-night hours.

“Providing patrons with ready access to cash from a credit card account significantly increases the risks of patrons gambling beyond their means,” ILGA stated.

Fines are not enough. These venues prioritise profit over people’s wellbeing. It’s time for real reform to stop gambling harm.

Mark discusses the dark side of gambling marketing, its impact on the music industry, and the troubling lack of genuine support from politicians for communities affected by gambling harm.

His story sheds light on the real consequences Australians face and why we need stronger action to protect people from gambling harm.

The Alliance continues to fight for reform and support for those affected.

One in three Australian kids aged 12–17 are gambling—losing over $18 million a year. The Alliance's CEO Martin Thomas warns, “There is evidence that the gambling industry targets kids as young as 14 years old through social media... It is both alarming and tragic to understand that the number of teenagers gambling under the legal age would fill the MCG six times over.”

The Alliance is demanding political leaders commit to a ban on gambling ads and enact all Murphy Inquiry recommendations.

A mother wrote to Scott Pape after discovering her 16-year-old had nine different betting accounts and her 18-year-old had lost over $1,000 in birthday money.

She said, “I’ve prided myself on having the difficult conversations… and we’ve discussed gambling lots over the years.”

Scott Pape responded, “Gambling is for losers. When the gambling industry sets its sights on our kids, all bets are off.”

Research shows that young people are particularly vulnerable to gambling, and Scott highlights how companies exploit this by offering free sign-ups, using social media influencers, and sponsoring sports—all designed to groom teens into lifelong gamblers.

This shows just how predatory the gambling industry has become, and why urgent action is needed to protect young people from harm.

John lost $548,000 after seeking help and self-excluding. How? Because government regulators knew the system was broken and let it stay that way for six years.

“This wasn’t an oversight—it was a known, documented failure of policy design.”

Despite knowing the risks, states kept licensing gambling operators without requiring basic protections. It took until 2023 to launch BetStop—years too late for John and thousands of others.

Gambling reform advocate Mark Kempster, from the Alliance for Gambling Reform’s Voices of Lived Experience program, joins host Gareth King on the Ruined by the Internet? podcast for a fascinating discussion on how the internet has supercharged gambling.

They explore how technology and 24/7 access have changed gambling behaviours, normalised betting, and created new challenges for regulation and reform.

This Gambling Harm ACTION Week, The Alliance and Monash Council, supported by many Victorian councils, are urging the Minister for Gaming, Hon. Enver Erdogan MLC, to commit to a clear statewide rollout of mandatory carded play with mandatory pre-commitment on poker machines.

This reform was promised in July 2023 as part of the former Premier’s ‘landmark reforms’ - but more than two years later, there is still no implementation timeline. The current trial in three council areas, using optional pre-commitment, falls far short of what communities were promised.

Many Councils have joined with us in withdrawing support for the trial and are demanding transparency - including details on what is being evaluated, who is responsible, whether findings will be published, and when a full rollout will occur.

Despite councils being on the frontline of efforts to reduce gambling harm, they have been sidelined in both the trial and wider reform process. That must change. Mandatory carded play with mandatory pre-commitment is the gold standard to prevent gambling harm from poker machines. It’s time for action.

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission has refused JDA Hotels’ plan to install 70 pokies and convert the venue into Club Wodonga.

The commission said it rejected the proposal because it was “not satisfied that the net socio-economic impact on the local community would not be detrimental.”

Gateway Health CEO Trent Dean welcomed the decision, saying, “Today’s decision is a real win for Wodonga. Together we have shown that the community can push back against gambling expansion and protect those most at risk.”

This outcome shows the power of local communities to stand up and protect those most vulnerable to gambling harm.

New mandatory ID cards for pokies at Perth’s Crown Casino are a welcome step - but far from enough.

“This is certainly… a step in the right direction,” said The Alliance CEO Martin Thomas. But with time limits still allowing up to 12 hours a day and no cap on losses, it’s clear the system can be easily gamed.

The real win? Mandatory ID will help combat money laundering and protect people from gambling harm. Now let’s see this gold-standard model rolled out across Australia.

We need stronger action to stop the cycle of harm.

Donate today to support real reform.

Mounties made hundreds of millions of dollars from pokies - yet allegedly failed to properly manage the risk of criminal money laundering. AUSTRAC’s civil case now alleges major breaches of anti-money laundering laws. Despite outsourcing compliance to BetSafe, Mounties remains fully accountable.

“Relying on third party providers doesn’t absolve a business of its obligations under the AML/CTF Act,” said AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas.

This is a wake-up call for the entire pokies industry - especially clubs pretending to be community-focused while profiting from gambling harm.

Revelations that Independent Senator David Pocock has been kicked out of a politician’s sports club that is funded by the gambling industry underscores the iron grip this predatory industry has on our leaders.

Senator Pocock recently brought to light the fact that lobbyists were buying access to parliamentarians by purchasing $2500 sponsorships of the Parliamentary Sports Club.

The club’s sponsors include the peak body for gambling companies like SportsBet, Responsible Wagering Australia, whose CEO is a regular participant in matches with parliamentarians.

Australia’s gambling harm crisis is growing - but governments are failing to act. Research shows at least 4.2% of Victorian suicides were gambling-related, yet critical reforms are still being ignored.

It’s been over two years since a federal committee made 31 urgent recommendations on online gambling harm. No action.

As MP Andrew Wilkie told Four Corners: “Government inaction starts to look a lot like a protection racket for the gambling industry.”

Lives are being lost while the industry profits.

It’s time for national reform - with no more political excuses.

The Greens and Australian Christian Lobby have joined forces to back a new bill banning poker machines between 2am and 10am - a rare show of unity fuelled by deep concern over gambling harm.

The Alliance's Chief Advocate Tim Costello praised the move:
“Who would have thought that in such a polarised society, the pain of pokies could have brought such inimical foes on to a unity ticket?”

It's time for action, not excuses. Every day delayed means more lives harmed by poker machines.

A damning Four Corners investigation has exposed serious concerns about Australia’s de facto online gambling regulator, the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission. With no full-time staff and zero licence cancellations on record, critics say it’s unfit to tackle an industry turning over $50 billion a year.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie didn’t hold back: "I'd liken the regulator up there to one of those so-called chocolate teapots. It's useless."

Australians are losing more to gambling than any other country - it’s time for real national oversight.

Sportsbet bombarded a Victorian customer with texts offering a “guaranteed share of $1m in bonus bets”—but only if he copied a same-game multi bet on grand final day.

This came weeks after similar inducements, including a 600% deposit match, despite bipartisan calls two years ago to ban all online gambling inducements “without delay.”

“That’s not sport, that’s grooming the next generation of punters,” said The Alliance’s CEO Martin Thomas.

Research shows inducements fuel risk-taking and gambling harm. Yet the government still hasn’t acted.

The Alliance is campaigning for a full ban on gambling ads before next year’s finals.

Over Grand Final weekend, The Alliance took to Melbourne’s streets with a bold message: Kick gambling ads out of footy.

Our truck rolled loud and proud, calling out the flood of gambling ads targeting our kids during the game they love. Thousands saw it - and the message was clear: footy should be family-friendly, not gambling-sponsored.

Thanks to everyone who snapped a pic and showed their support!

📣 Let’s keep the pressure on. Add your voice to protect kids from gambling harm - sign the petition today.

Can you even picture it? They're are all-pervasive - on jerseys, on the TV between tackles and even on the field itself. The Alliance wants 2026 to be the first year where you can watch the finals without the gambling ads. Listen in as Alliance Voices Advocate Dylan shares his lived experience, and Alliance CEO Martin Thomas discusses the changes we want to see on ABC Radio National.

📣 Let’s keep the pressure on. Add your voice to protect kids from gambling harm - sign the petition today.

The AFL Grand Final should be a celebration of footy, not a billboard for the gambling industry. But right now, our screens are flooded with betting odds, even more than goals. Kids are growing up thinking gambling is just part of the game.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

We’re calling on the AFL to show leadership and commit to making the 2026 Grand Final completely free of gambling ads, setting a new national standard for protecting our kids, our families, and the integrity of our sport.

Sign our petition here.

From 2026, SBS On Demand will let you permanently opt out of gambling ads. After a successful trial that slashed ad complaints by 45%, the feature will become a core part of the platform.

"Audiences have always had complete control over what they watch... but the opt-out gives them further benefit by providing greater control over the ads they see as well," said SBS Acting Managing Director Jane Palfreyman.

This is a powerful example of taking action action - and a win for people trying to avoid gambling harm.

Children are being exposed to gambling ads long before they understand the risks. Research shows kids as young as six can recognise gambling brands, jingles, and characters – even though the ads aren’t supposed to target them.

With gambling ads flooding footy finals, it’s no wonder fans feel sidelined while the AFL and NRL chase gambling dollars.

We’re fighting back with our campaign to kick gambling out of football – and we need your help.

Public Broadcaster SBS has become the first broadcaster globally to allow viewers of its streaming service to opt out of certain advertising categories – including gambling ads.

The broadcaster says the move is part of its ESG (Environmental & Social Governance) leadership which also includes its commitment to Australia’s first zero emissions media platform and gender equity with the lowest pay gap in sector.

As the Albanese Government prepares to act on gambling advertising, the TV lobby group Free TV is turning up the pressure. They’re bringing out big names - Scotty Cam, Ally Langdon, and others- to lobby behind closed doors in Canberra.

The message? Keep the ads. Keep the profits.

But Australians are fed up. Gambling ads are everywhere - during sport, on streaming services, even in family viewing hours. The cost? Rising gambling harm, especially among young people.

While Free TV fights for revenue, The Alliance is fighting for communities. We need strong, clear rules that put public health before profit.

Australian Test cricket star Usman Khawaja has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to stop blocking gambling reform, batting away suggestions banning betting ads during sports could put athletes out of a job.

Khawaja says sport does not need gambling money and wants all betting ads removed. The landmark Peta Murphy inquiry called for exactly that — a ban on gambling advertising and inducements.

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has slammed the government for being “100% too slow” to ban gambling ads, saying “we are normalising gambling for the younger generation.”

Khawaja joined doctors, MPs and experts at Parliament House, warning that linking gambling with sport sets “a very, very dangerous precedent.”

The Albanese government continues to delay responding to a major inquiry calling for a ban. Meanwhile, children are exposed daily.

It's time to put kids before industry profits.

Dylan is one of our Voices for Gambling Reform, sharing his powerful story to inspire change. Gambling cost Dylan a lot, in terms of both money and opportunities.

Now, he has quit gambling, and he's documenting the journey on TikTok and Instagram.

In this longer interview cut for the hack podcast, Dylan talks with Dave about the road that got him here.

He describes the clarifying moment when he placed his last bet, the daily battle to keep going in a world where gambling ads are everywhere, and what it's like to do it all so publicly

We must protect our kids – ban gambling ads, ban inducements, and implement the Murphy Report in full.

Follow Dylan’s journey on Instagram or TikTok at @nomorebets.au

Listen to Dylan speak up on ABC's Tripple J Hack:

A powerful Four Corners report has exposed the devastating impact of online gambling - and the systems failing to stop it. Now, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is urging PM Albanese to allow a free vote on banning gambling ads, claiming there’s broad support across Parliament.

But Labor MPs who back reform are reportedly staying silent - too afraid to speak out. It’s been two-and-a-half years since the landmark Murphy report, yet none of its key recommendations have been implemented.

The question is: why the delay - and who is being silenced?

How is gambling advertising affecting young Victorians? The Alliance is running workshops to find out - and we want to hear from:
• Young people aged 12-18
• Parents of teens
• Teachers, coaches, youth workers and others who support young people

Your insights will help shape future education and prevention strategies.

Australia's de facto online gambling watchdog has paused accepting gifts from gambling companies while a new code of conduct is drafted.

The NT Racing and Wagering Commission (NTRWC) came under scrutiny after the ABC reported in April that Chair Alastair Shields had accepted corporate hospitality, including tickets to the Darwin Cup, from gambling companies he regulates.

Despite growing concerns over conflicts of interest, the NTRWC has confirmed it will not ban racehorse ownership by commissioners, though conflicts must be declared and managed.

A regulator this close to the gambling industry cannot be trusted to act in the public interest.

Indigenous communities across Australia are being targeted by the gambling industry meaning that while access to good quality essential services like healthcare and education is scarce, there is an oversupply of poker machines.

Independent Tasmanian MPs are pushing to ban gambling ads in all state-owned venues, calling gambling harm a public health issue - just like smoking.

Alliance advocate Mark Kempster backed the move: “Gambling advertising ruins people’s lives... I was trapped by the industry. I could not get away from it.”

Sporting venues should be safe for families - not places that normalise gambling. It’s time governments stopped profiting from harm.

New research has confirmed what communities have long known: areas with large Indigenous populations are being overwhelmed by poker machines. These areas have 50% more pokies than the national average, and gambling losses are up to $700 per person annually.

Martin Thomas, CEO of The Alliance, said:
“Indigenous people are highly overrepresented among the numbers of gamblers experiencing harm and this is having far-reaching consequences in terms of financial harm, relationship breakdown and violence, mental health, and even suicide.”

This Gambling Harm Action Week, The Alliance would like to thank all of our leadership councils for their ongoing support in tackling gambling harm in local communities.

Your commitment to challenging the pokies industry, supporting reforms, and standing with those impacted by gambling harm is driving real change.

As Rev. Tim Costello says, "Local councils are the frontline of gambling reform - their leadership is critical."

We’re proud to stand beside councils that put community wellbeing first.

Thank you for your leadership. Let’s keep pushing for a safer future.

The City of Monash is showing powerful local leadership in the fight against gambling harm.

With a strong pokies policy, public advocacy for tougher regulation, and support for clubs to transition away from poker machines, Monash is setting the standard for councils across Victoria.

During Gambling Harm Action Week, we celebrate councils like Monash that are standing up for their communities and taking real steps to reduce harm.

Local action matters. Reform starts here.

Retired Carlton star Sam Docherty has opened up about his hidden struggle with gambling, saying he kept it secret for years out of shame and guilt.

Docherty said his gambling began after his father’s death and that he eventually sought help. “It wasn’t so much the money — it was the habits of gambling consistently that were worrying,” he told the Herald Sun.

Now partnering with the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, Docherty is encouraging others to set limits and seek help early. “I know it’s opening up my life again, but if it helps someone going through it — that’s something I feel good about.”

Alexandra Craig is taking on her first-ever half marathon to raise funds for The Alliance – pushing through every kilometre to fight gambling harm in Australia.

"I have never run a half marathon in my life. But this December, I am taking on a half marathon for a cause far bigger than myself."

You don’t have to be a runner to take a stand. Whether it's a run, a ride, a walk or a bake sale – your effort can help power real change.

Support Alex here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/running-against-the-odds

Disney+ is showing gambling ads during kids' viewing hours – times when these ads are meant to be banned on free-to-air TV. By simulcasting ESPN, Disney is exploiting a loophole and airing gambling promotions in broad daylight.

“It’s a disgrace. Disney, the maker of the world’s most loved kids’ movies, is now ramming ads for an adult product down kids’ throats. Carve-outs like this just make it a joke.” – Tim Costello

This is a clear breach of community trust. Gambling ads don’t belong in children’s programming.

Senator David Pocock was booted from a sports club for exposing gambling lobbyists buying access to MPs - and it speaks volumes.

“In a week where parliament should have been responding to... outrageous commissions, weak regulation, the pocketing of proceeds of crime and inducements... instead they are kicking out those asking legitimate questions,” said The Alliance’s Chief Advocate Tim Costello.

The damage runs deep. Research shows almost one in three 12-17 year olds are gambling. That's 600,000 kids - enough to fill the MCG six times over.

"I like to think about who she would be without the gambling, and I grieve that more so than I grieve who she is with the gambling."

Addictions and disorders don't happen in a vacuum. While one person is caught in the grip of gambling harm, loved ones are swept up in the devastation.

Edona, one of our Voices for Gambling Reform, shared her story of growing up with a mother consumed by poker machines. Left craving stability and connection, Edona lost the chance for a safe childhood and a close bond with her mum.

This is the reality for too many families.

“I was exposed to [gambling] at quite a young age... it just did something to me when I placed that bet – it gave me what I needed.”

Alliance Voices for Gambling Reform Advocate Ed began gambling at just eight years old. What started with horse racing in his family grew into a hidden struggle that drove him to steal $1.8 million and landed him in prison. [Jump to 7:33].

Now, with betting apps always within reach, gambling is easier to hide than ever – even from parents.

“I think if someone's drunk through alcohol or someone's affected by drugs, it's... visible, whereas I could be walking down the street having lost a house on a betting app and no one would know.”

Gambling harm can be hard to spot at first, but its impact is devastating. We must expose the tactics that target kids and fight for real reform.

This week’s Four Corners episode Losing Streak exposes the shocking failures in Australia’s regulation of online gambling. Financial advisers, lured by perks, gambled away clients' savings - while gambling companies kept the money and regulators looked the other way.

The so-called regulator? A part-time office in Darwin with no full-time staff.

More than two years after a landmark inquiry called for urgent reform, the federal government still hasn’t acted.

It's time to break the silence on this billion-dollar industry causing massive gambling harm.

Australia loses $31 billion a year to gambling - more per capita than any other country. But who's holding the industry to account? A Four Corners investigation has revealed a broken system: under-resourced regulators, cosy ties with industry, and betting companies pocketing the proceeds of crime. One judge called their practices “the banality of evil.” Meanwhile, people have lost hundreds of thousands without ever placing a bet.

The federal government has ignored 31 urgent reform recommendations for over two years. It's time for action.

Once a showcase of sportsmanship and teamwork, the NRL Grand Final is now more anticipated for one thing: Gambling.

As the season’s final round approaches, our screens—including our kids’, are dominated by betting odds, often taking centre stage over the goals themselves. Worryingly, far too many children are growing up thinking gambling is simply part of the game, with far too many already on that path.

It doesn’t have to be this way. 📣 Let’s keep the pressure on. Add your voice to protect kids from gambling harm - sign the petition today.

“For every person that loses on a poker machine, six other family members are affected,” said Alliance CEO Martin Thomas on ABC Canberra Drive. These machines are everywhere in Australia, creating widespread gambling harm through merciless exploitation.

We need better regulation - starting with mandatory carded play. And we need to bring back what we've lost to pokies, like live music and real community spaces.

Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello has warned: “Morally, sociologically and politically, the way forward on pokies reform is blindingly clear, and our failure to take the necessary steps year after year is a blight on our national character … This issue is the equivalent of the United States’ failure to deal with their gun problem.”

For decades, governments have tried to rein in pokies harm, but the industry’s wealth and political muscle keep blocking real reform. Meanwhile, families and communities pay the price. It’s time to put people before pokies profits.

Bec Healey knows firsthand the devastation of gambling harm from poker machines. After years of spiralling losses and mental health struggles, she found help through Lifeline and now bravely speaks out to help others.

Her message is clear: SA’s pokies profits come at a heartbreaking cost.

"To think large amounts of money like that are going through those machines, it's pretty devastating... It's a massive problem… I think more could be put back into helping."

Last year, South Australians lost over $1 billion to pokies, yet just 1% of the $450 million in government revenue went to the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund.

Bec's courage highlights the urgent need for action. It’s time for a moral shift.

Former NRL star Luke Bateman has spoken out about the devastating toll gambling took on his life, revealing he lost $500,000 in just a few years and was left unable to buy groceries despite earning $400,000 a year.

"My mum was paying my mortgage because I had no money," he told Triple J Hack.

Bateman says gambling harm was rife within the NRL: "I would say half the football team had gambling addictions. Probably not to the same severity that I had, but … that's what we did as a football team."

He described the culture in elite sport as "very corrosive to young men", adding, “Whatever you have to do to win is justified.”

Bateman is now free from gambling harm and calling for government reform.

After years of gambling harm from apps, Mark Kempster hit rock bottom on AFL Grand Final day in 2020 - losing thousands in one sitting. His partner, the mother of his son, urged him to get help.

“That was the catalyst I needed to not lose her and my boy from my life,” he says. Working his way out of addiction took a lot of work, but he has never looked back.

Now an advocate with The Alliance, Mark is calling for urgent reform. We must treat gambling harm as the public health crisis it is.

We ban TikTok to “protect young people,” yet gambling ads run wall-to-wall through every footy final.

Which one’s really doing the harm?

While Usman Khawaja warns that “we are normalising gambling for the younger generation,” Prime Minister Albanese defends Australians’ “right to punt” and delays much-needed gambling ad reform. Khawaja described 16-year-olds who already have gambling accounts and can’t watch sport without placing a bet.

Khawaja added that Labor had “100 per cent” been slow to enact change. Despite Labor’s promise to act on Peta Murphy’s landmark report, the government is now stalling-bowing to pressure from sports executives and media giants profiting from gambling ads.

Pokie machine companies have been offering “free” overseas trips to club bosses - but only if they agree to buy new machines at $30,000 each. Regulators say the trips had “no genuine and specific course of study” - they were just luxury holidays dressed up as training.

These shady deals keep gambling harm going. It’s time for change.

Parliament heard heartbreaking stories of gambling harm — including from one of The Alliance’s Voices for Gambling Reform, whose brother died by suicide after struggling with gambling addiction.

Kate Chaney MP challenged the Prime Minister, asking if delays to the Murphy inquiry response are due to “successful lobbying by powerful interests.”

Anthony Albanese replied: “We have done more as a government than any government in Australia’s history since federation.”

Despite this, key recommendations remain unimplemented. Australians experiencing gambling harm are still being “bombarded by gambling adverts” while waiting for real reform.

New research from the Australia Institute shows areas with an Indigenous population over 10% have 50% more poker machines than other communities.

The Alliance CEO Martin Thomas said,
"Governments over many years have said how difficult it is to provide quality health care and education.
But it seems like the gambling industry has no problems getting poker machines in higher numbers than in other areas to these communities.
We would go as far as saying they're actually targeting Aboriginal communities."

This is gambling harm by design. It's time for action.

Independent Senator David Pocock has been kicked out of the Parliamentary Sports Club after calling out its ties to the gambling lobby.

The “sports club” — which lists gambling companies like Responsible Wagering Australia among its clients - has Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as president.

Is it a sports club, as Penny Wong claims, or a lobbying operation helping delay the gambling ad ban Australians overwhelmingly support?

🎙️ "It’s absolutely crazy the way gambling has become such a significant player." – Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe and Joe Rogan were stunned by the scale of gambling harm in Australia during Crowe’s latest podcast appearance. From generational poverty caused by his great-grandfather gambling away the family home, to confronting his own sons about gambling, Crowe exposed just how normalised gambling has become.

“I really dislike the way in Australia we have normalised it,” he said, pointing to odds being shared during national sports news.

Australia loses more per person to gambling than any country on Earth. This isn’t entertainment - it’s a crisis.

Mark Kempster, who hasn’t gambled in five years, is urging governments to protect the community from harmful gambling ads. Despite his recovery, the constant exposure to gambling advertising still affects him.

"This is about making it safer for people to gamble and not having it thrown in people's faces who are struggling," he told ABC Hobart.

He supports the push by Tasmanian MPs Kristie Johnston and Meg Webb to ban gambling ads in state-funded venues.

In the past year, more than $100 million has been lost to poker machines owned by Victorian football clubs. And it’s not just the AFL, this also happens at the local level.

"The machines are built for addiction and they're predatory. So what we're really saying is: clubs, you are cornerstones of the community because football is so important in our community, you need to get out of it" – Tim Costello, Chief Advocate for The Alliance for Gambling Reform speaking on ABC Melbourne Mornings

Victorian football clubs made $110.4 million from pokies in 2024/25 - while gambling harm continues to devastate lives.

Alliance CEO Tim Costello said:
"These footy clubs really have trashed their social licence... "It's complete hypocrisy, because we now know the extraordinary social damage of pokies.:

Alliance Voices Advocate Mark S added:
"I am disappointed to see that the AFL team that I support still has a connection to the pokies."

It's time for all clubs to put people before profit.

Predatory overseas gambling companies are exploiting Australians who’ve signed up to BetStop - the national self-exclusion register - by using third-party websites to lure them back into gambling.

“This is a deeply concerning and opportunistic practice that attempts to undermine the purpose of the national self-exclusion register,” said an ACMA spokesperson.

The Alliance’s CEO, Martin Thomas, called the tactic “gravely concerning” and warned, “It appears a deliberate undermining of BetStop which the government repeatedly boasts as one of its key achievements on gambling reform.”

This shameful targeting of vulnerable people must stop.

Australians lose a staggering $32 billion every year to gambling - the highest per capita losses in the world. From pokies to sports gambling apps, the industry is thriving, but calls for reform are ignored. Why? Too many politicians rely on gambling industry donations and look the other way.

Offshore gambling firms are exploiting Australians who’ve self-excluded via BetStop, using shady third-party websites to lure them back into gambling. These sites promote illegal inducements and even claim people may have made a “rash decision” to self-ban.

“It appears a deliberate undermining of BetStop which the government repeatedly boasts as one of its key achievements on gambling reform,” said The Alliance’s CEO, Martin Thomas.

This is not innovation - it's exploitation. We urgently need stronger enforcement to protect people from gambling harm.

Gambling Harm Action Week is a vital reminder that change starts at the local level. Across Australia, councils are taking bold steps to challenge the normalisation of gambling and reduce the devastating impact poker machines have on communities.

From limiting gambling promotions in public spaces to pushing for venue reforms, councils are proving they can be powerful advocates for safer, healthier communities.

Now is the time for more councils to take action. Speak up. Support reform. Protect your community.

Together, we can push back against gambling harm - one council at a time.

Mark started betting as a teenager and spent more than a decade trapped in the cycle of chasing his losses, lying to the people he loved, and slowly losing himself, almost costing him everything.

Now six years free from gambling, Mark’s fighting for systemic change with the Alliance for Gambling Reform to help others escape harm from this insidious industry.

"Under most industries there’s proceeds of crime coverage where there’s a clear line and it can be proved that this money was raised in a criminal manner, it’s taken back. And this simply does not happen in the gambling industry." – Martin Thomas

When money is stolen and lost through gambling, victims are left empty‑handed while gambling companies keep the cash. No other industry gets to profit from crime – but the gambling industry does.

It’s time for governments to close this shameful loophole and put people before profit.

Thanks to 94.7 The Pulse Radio - Rob Cameron’s Front Page

Independent Senator David Pocock has been kicked out of a parliamentary sports club, after he criticised its decision to accept sponsorship from an online gambling group.

The Australian Parliament Sports Club is meant to provide a chance for politicians, staffers, public servants and journalists to spend time together socially.

But it also sells corporate memberships, offering the opportunity to rub shoulders with decision-makers.

"Regulators from overseas look at Australian online betting like we look at America with their guns. We laugh at them and think they’re dumb. It was easy for us to just ban guns. It was a no brainer. And it worked. But somehow, banning online sports betting agencies from advertising will throw us back to the sporting dark ages. How dum do they think we all are?"

- The Betoota Advocate

“Kids were seeing more gambling ads on TV and social media than they were seeing points scored in the games.”

Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster is calling out the gambling industry’s relentless targeting of young Australians, especially during major sporting events.

“These companies are trying to indoctrinate young Australians into gambling – making them feel like they need to bet on all sports to enjoy it.”

This is a public health crisis – and the government is still stalling on reform.

Kym Cavigan’s entire life savings - more than $800,000 - were stolen and lost to Sportsbet. Her accountant placed up to 80 bets a day, yet the platform never intervened.

“They just kept luring him,” Kym said. “Sportsbet never stopped him.”

Now she’s suing the gambling giant - with help from the very man who deceived her, and who was himself consumed by gambling harm.

This is what unchecked gambling harm looks like - and it’s happening across the country.

A man experiencing severe gambling harm lost $4.5 million through 52 betting companies – money taken from clients who trusted him. The families affected have received nothing back, while the companies that enabled the harm keep every cent.

These companies used inducements, VIP schemes and constant pressure to fuel the harm – knowing full well the money wasn’t his.

Families are left devastated. Their savings are gone. And still, no accountability. This is systemic failure. Gambling harm is real. The industry must be stopped.

New data reveals that around three million Australians are engaged in some form of harmful gambling, which is linked to financial stress, family violence and poor mental health.

The Australian Gambling Research Centre survey of 3,881 adults found that young people, aged 18 to 24, were nearly twice as likely to be at high risk of harm, compared to other age groups.

Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello said: "Australia has really profoundly failed social policy when it comes to gambling."

The Victorian government’s carded play pokie trial is raising more questions than answers. Despite promises of a three-month test, The Alliance has withdrawn its support due to unclear timelines and the failure to include mandatory pre-commitment - a proven way to prevent gambling harm.

As Alliance spokesperson Rebecca Paterson told the Eastern Melburnian: “It’s hard to say you’re trialling something for a three-month period, but the technology that you’re trialling is only in place for two months.”

Pokie trials without mandatory pre-commitment risk being little more than window dressing.

A gambling company snuck a CGI goat into the EJ Whitten Legends Game broadcast - a charity match meant to raise money for prostate cancer - in a covert marketing stunt. Crikey reports this campaign will scale up significantly during the AFL finals. One company has been running goat-themed ad campaigns, including one on social media stating: “The GOAT [Greatest of all time] doesn’t second guess himself because he doesn’t guess.”

But while gambling ads try to sell the myth of being the GOAT, the truth is different. Fans are being lured into losses while gambling companies cash in.

New national data confirms what many already know - gambling is out of control. Australians are losing over $32 billion every year - the highest per capita losses on the planet. In Queensland alone, more than 70% of adults gambled last year, the highest rate in the country.

Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster says the answer is clear:
“We need to remove gambling advertising in all forms across Australia.”

This is a public health crisis, and it’s time for the government to act.

Both the AFL and NRL keep taking money from harmful sponsors.

Alliance CEO Martin Thomas warns: “Research shows that where there is gambling in a family there is up to a 30 per cent greater risk of family violence. Gambling and alcohol are too often a dangerous cocktail that leads to increases in partner and other violence – particularly at times when there are major sporting events such as the football grand finals.”

It’s time for our biggest sporting codes to cut ties with gambling and alcohol advertising and put community safety first.

Former AFL champ joins call to make the 2026 Grand Final gambling ad-free

Former Bulldog’s Premiership player, Tom Boyd, has joined a major campaign calling on the AFL to make next year’s AFL Grand Final a gambling advertising free zone.

The Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR) and GetUp have today launched a campaign and petition urging the AFL to “kick gambling ads out of footy” — demanding that the biggest day in Australian sport be safe for kids and families.

As part of the campaign a mobile billboard will circle the MCG and Melbourne CBD throughout the Grand Final weekend festival, carrying the message: Kick gambling out of football”.

The release of the Murphy report should have been a turning point - instead, it’s been drowned in political drama and stalled progress. A new piece by Punters Politics lays bare how gambling industry donations are muddying the waters and undermining real reform. The influence of gambling money in politics is keeping harmful poker machines in our communities and silencing those calling for change.

Crossbench MPs are calling out the gambling lobby’s presence in federal parliament’s sports club, accusing them of buying access to MPs under the guise of social sport.

Kate Chaney MP slammed the move, saying it’s “another subtle way lobbyists are making politicians believe gambling is indispensable to sport.”

David Pocock also condemned the gambling industry’s attempt to link itself to suicide prevention, calling it “pretty shameless.”

The Alliance stands with calls to cut ties with gambling lobbyists in Parliament. It’s time to put people’s wellbeing ahead of industry profits.

The Commonwealth Bank approved over $13,000 in loans to a man spending more than half his income on gambling. Despite clear warning signs, CBA claimed its $10,000 gambling threshold meant the loans were “within policy.”

Alliance CEO Martin Thomas said: “It seems extraordinary that a bank has such a limited approach to assessing people in terms of gambling harm.”

This case shows how rigid policies fail real people. Banks must be held accountable for fuelling gambling harm, not excused by flawed thresholds.