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IN THE NEWS
Sport is saturated with alcohol and gambling sponsorship
The Age
5 Aug 2026
New research from FARE reveals every AFL and NRL club is sponsored by an alcohol company, while every NRL club and five AFL clubs have gambling sponsors.
Former NRL player Luke Bateman warned: “Advertising doesn’t give people a problem, but what it does is normalises it and makes it seem as though sports cannot exist without these things.”
Children should be able to enjoy sport without being relentlessly exposed to industries linked to serious harm. Governments and sporting codes must put community wellbeing ahead of sponsorship revenue.
Gambling reform must protect children
The Alliance
3 Aug 2026
The Senate committee has examined the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026, hearing from The Alliance, lived experience experts, health organisations, financial counsellors and community services.
“It’s a line-ball whether it’s actually better than the status quo because this legislation weakens, particularly the protection for kids and the linking with sport,” said The Alliance Chief Advocate, Rev Tim Costello.
Reform must reduce children’s exposure to gambling and break the connection between gambling and sport - not weaken existing protections.
Support stronger protections against gambling harm.
Let your kids cheer for the goals. Not the odds.
The Alliance
27 July 2026
Children should be able to enjoy sport without being constantly exposed to gambling ads.
Have gambling ads affected your family? Share your experience with The Alliance. Your story could help build the case for stronger protections for children.
🇬🇧 UK vs 🇦🇺 Australia
No Escape From The Bet
25 July 2026
UK
• When the Fun Stops, Stop
• Take Time to Think
• GambleAware
Australia
• Chances are you're about to lose.
• You win some. You lose more.
• What's gambling really costing you?
Different slogans. Same problem.
As Louise from No Escape From The Bet, a new UK campaign highlighting the impact of gambling advertising on people in recovery, says:
"For someone in recovery, a brief responsible gambling message at the end of an advert is unlikely to outweigh the repeated encouragement to place another bet."
We’d much rather see the end of gambling ads used to promote real support, like BetStop, Australia’s National Self-Exclusion Register, than messages that place the responsibility back on individuals.
Australia's biggest super funds hold an estimated $14.8 billion in gambling-related stocks.
The Alliance
23 July 2026
Our new research, 𝘽𝙖𝙙 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙨: 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝗼𝙪𝙧 𝘀𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙪𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝗰𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝗮𝙧𝙚 𝗶𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝗴𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘀𝙩𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙨, found:
• No fund achieved a "Leading Practice" rating.
• Most funds were rated only Basic or Limited for addressing gambling harm.
• Australia's largest super fund held $4.9 billion in gambling-related investments.
Because of limited disclosure requirements, the true level of investment is likely to be even higher.
Australians deserve to know where their retirement savings are invested.
Read the report: https://www.agr.org.au/agr-media-releases/our-biggest-super-funds-hold-%2414.8b-in-gambling-stocks
Tasmanians lost more than $200 million on pokies last financial year, setting new record
ABC
17 July 2026
Tasmanians lost a record $208.27 million to poker machines in 2025-26 - about $360 per person and a 6.9 per cent increase in one year.
Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster said the figures “should alarm every single Tasmanian”.
“In a time where we are facing a generation-altering cost of living crisis, this is a number that every member of the state Liberal government and Labor opposition in Tasmania should be truly ashamed of,” he said.
Tasmania needs strong, evidence-based reforms that put families before gambling industry profits.
Sports gambling apps are designed to keep people engaged
Psych Talks
14 July 2026
New research from Dr Daniel Bennett shows how gambling harm is shaped not only by individual choices, but also by product design.
Cash-out features: Can encourage people to gamble 25-35% more by increasing the feeling of control.
In-app live sport streaming: Keeps users on gambling platforms longer and makes it easier to gamble while watching.
Continuous gambling loop: Fast deposits, in-play gambling and rapid results make it easy to move from one gamble to the next, increasing harm.
Listen to the University of Melbourne’s PsychTalks episode:
Poker Machines Must Not Be Used to Downplay Online Gambling Harm. The are BOTH harmful.
Capital Brief
7 July 2026
The Alliance CEO Martin Thomas has criticised the Prime Minister for using poker machines to minimise the devastating harm caused by online gambling.
“It appears the only time a sitting government advocates for reform is when it is not in their own jurisdiction,” Thomas said. “The PM only sees poker machines as the problem rather than the devastating harm online gambling is causing — especially to our kids.”
Labor’s streaming carve-out for gambling ads is a step backwards, says chief reform advocate
SMH
6 July 2026
Prominent gambling reform advocate Tim Costello has blasted the government’s new advertising rules for streaming services as being much worse than the status quo, accusing Labor of removing existing protections to favour sports betting companies at the expense of families.
Some Labor MPs are also concerned that the new laws for streamers represent a backwards step, after this masthead reported that Labor’s long-awaited gambling package will override the current advertising blackout for live sport streamed online between 5am and 8.30pm.
Instead, Labor’s changes will allow digital platforms to start showing registered adult users unlimited gambling ads at half-time and quarter-time breaks unless they opt out – a move critics warn will flood streaming services with betting advertisements.
PM is taking a big punt on gambling ads. It may be a losing ticket
The Age
3 July 2026
"Labor is trying to please everyone with its proposed gambling reforms. But the government’s middle path approach, giving all parties at least some of what they want – as is so often Anthony Albanese’s preferred route – is not working at the moment, and the government is pleasing no one."
The blockage to more sweeping reforms to gambling advertising, as recommended in the committee report You win some, you lose more led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, starts right at the top of government."
Kids are being groomed to gamble
The Alliance
1 July 2026
Tim Costello says gambling is an adult product like cigarettes, but since 2008 it has become so normalised in grooming our kids that we have become immune.
As gambling reforms are being rammed through Parliament, Tim warns the legislation does not protect kids or delink gambling and sport.
It offers an opt out of gambling ads, not an opt in. SBS has had an opt out option for nearly two years and only 0.2% of viewers have opted out.
The laws also allow a free-for-all of gambling ads after 8.30pm, and reduce gambling ads to three an hour - “as if we would protect our kids with just three cigarette ads as an hour.”
$104 billion lost while action stalled
The Australia Institute
1 July 2026
New research from The Australia Institute shows Australians have lost more than $104 billion to gambling since the Murphy Review was released three years ago.
Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello said: “Behind this eye-watering gambling losses total that has been highlighted by The Australian Institute, lies social harm on an industrial scale including bankruptcies, family break up, domestic violence and suicide.”
The Alliance is calling for a full gambling ad ban, a ban on inducements and a national regulator to reduce gambling harm and protect children.
ACT Inquiry Charts Path Away from Gambling Revenue
The Alliance
30 June 2026
The ACT Government's independent inquiry into the future of clubs has outlined a 20-year transition plan to reduce reliance on gambling revenue.
After extensive consultation, the report proposes cutting poker machine numbers from 3,500 to 1,000 by 2045 while supporting clubs to diversify their income. You can read the report here:
Tim Costello and Matthew Sefky spotlight youth gambling harm at Parliamentary Friends
The Alliance
24 June 2026
At a Parliamentary Friends event in Canberra, The Alliance’s Chief Advocate Tim Costello helped shine a light on the growing impact of gambling harm on young people.
Matthew Sefky from Gambling Education Australia also spoke about trends among young people - where they are being exposed to gambling, how they are gambling, the link between gambling and sport, and the impact on high school students.
Kids See the Harm. Why Can't Our Leaders?
ABC News
6 June 2026
New research shows young Australians are increasingly concerned about the flood of gambling advertising in sport, with many saying it has gone too far. While 77% of Australians support a total ban on gambling ads, the federal government's proposed reforms fall short of the Murphy Review's recommendation for a comprehensive ban.
Alliance Voices Advocate Mark S said:
"When our children are saying they've had enough of gambling ads, it's time for the government to listen. Young people should be able to enjoy sport without being bombarded by messages that normalise gambling. Kids can see the problem. The question is, why can't our leaders?"
Wesley report: Death, taxes and rising poker machine losses
Wesley Mission
1 June 2026
We know that nothing good happens on a poker machine at 3am.
The evidence shows that harm escalates in the early hours – when people are tired and isolated, they are more likely to chase losses. We maintain the urgency of a shutdown on pokies from midnight-4am.
Teen Gambling Harm Starts Early
ABC News
27 May 2026
An ABC report highlights how gambling is becoming normalised among young Australians, with almost one in three teenagers gambling. Young people describe accessing gambling products while still at school, being exposed to constant gambling advertising, and feeling pressure from sporting and social cultures where gambling is treated as normal.
One young person, Dylan*, says he has lost "at least $900,000" since first gambling at age 15. Researchers warn that widespread marketing, inducements and the normalisation of gambling in sport are increasing the risk of gambling harm for children and young people.
NSW Labor Urged to Act on Poker Machines
Sydney Morning Herald
25 May 2026
Pressure is building on Premier Chris Minns to take stronger action on poker machines, with senior NSW Labor figures backing plans to cut machine numbers across the state. One proposal would halve poker machines over the next decade, as losses hit a record $9.3 billion in NSW in 2025.
The need for action is clear: people lost a record $9.3 billion on NSW poker machines in 2025. Voice for Gambling Reform advocate Max knows how predatory the industry is: “The artistry of poker machines is captivating. It's all designed to keep you engaged even though you're losing money.” Max knows that poker machines are designed - carefully, expensively, by teams of engineers and psychologists; to keep you sitting there for as long as possible. Max recounted that "some casinos pump pleasant fragrances through the air. Gentle music plays after small wins. The screens are built to be beautiful, to catch your eye and hold it."
Communities need reform that reduces gambling harm and puts people before poker machine profits.
Gambling harm is destroying lives - and safeguards are failing
ABC News
19 May 2026
Australians lose more to gambling per person than anyone else in the world, with $1,500 lost per adult each year. Behind that statistic are people pushed into debt, prison, family breakdown and suicidal distress.
One person harmed by gambling said: “I nearly took my own life over gambling because we just don't have the safeguards in place to protect vulnerable people.”
These stories show gambling harm is not about individual responsibility or weakness - it is about dangerous products, relentless access and systems that fail to protect people before the damage is done.
A timid response to a national crisis
ABC News
16 May 2026
The Albanese Government had a chance to deliver real reform on gambling harm - but this proposal leaves dangerous gaps.
Tim Costello said the Prime Minister’s recommendation is “only a half-measure, a timid response”, warning it does not solve the urgent need to protect children from gambling advertising.
Mark Kempster also warned that without a national regulator, a ban on inducements and a full advertising ban, the proposal gives the gambling industry “a free kick” to keep targeting Australians.
Families and communities need stronger action, not weak compromises. The Alliance is calling for reforms that put public health ahead of gambling industry profits.
A timid response fails people harmed by gambling
ABC News
13 May 2026
The Albanese Government has rejected a full ban on gambling ads, despite warnings from people living with gambling harm.
Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster said: “I feel like the government's completely turned their back on me and everyone else is going through harm.”
Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello called the reforms “only a half measure, a timid response” and said: “It doesn't solve the problem of protecting kids.”
Children deserve better than being surrounded by gambling ads. People harmed by gambling deserve real reform.
Government response falls short on gambling reform
ABC News
13 May 2026
The Federal Government has ignored key recommendations from the Murphy Report, including a national gambling regulator and a full ban on gambling ads.
Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello said: “A national regulator was the number one recommendation because we have the greatest gambling losses per capita in the world, by far the greatest gambling harm in the world, and that's because we don't have a national regulator.”
The Alliance will keep pushing for reforms that protect Australians from gambling harm.
“Rewards clubs” or gambling by another name?
ABC News
1 May 2026
Over 80 “rewards clubs” in Australia are operating in a regulatory grey zone - offering luxury prizes while avoiding basic gambling safeguards like age checks, limits, and self-exclusion.
Experts warn the model is causing real gambling harm, especially as people chase life-changing wins to cover debts or medical costs.
“It’s just become gambling,” said Andreas Fung.
“Users may have no transparency about net losses… and no access to self-exclusion,” warned Kei Sakata.
Stronger regulation is urgently needed to protect consumers.
Self-Exclusion - The Smartest Move You Can Make
She’s On The Money
27 Apr 2026
A blog from She’s On The Money highlights a confronting reality - Australians lose $31-32 billion to gambling each year, with pokies alone costing around $13 billion.
What starts as small, occasional gambling can quickly lead to financial stress and serious gambling harm. Self-exclusion is a simple, powerful tool that blocks access to gambling platforms, helping remove temptation and restore control. But we also need stronger action - a total ban on gambling ads and inducements to reduce harm at its source.
Gambling owns the umpire. Who owns the game?
3AW
21 Apr 2026
The Zak Butters tribunal has raised a question that goes way beyond one disputed sentence on a footy field. Reports that an AFL umpire has a commercial relationship with a sports betting agency raise serious questions about conflict of interest — and exactly the kind of structural issue a national regulator could address.
Mark from Voices for Gambling Reform said: "This incident in the AFL is further reason why an independent regulatory body needs to be established as soon as possible. The fact that an umpire can do outside work for a sports betting agency is at the very least a conflict of interest."
Drugs, alcohol and gambling inducements
AFR
4 Aug 2026
Luke Bateman’s testimony exposed how gambling companies have treated high-value customers as revenue targets, not people needing protection.
He described being flown interstate, given alcohol, offered drugs and encouraged with bonus gambling offers while experiencing serious gambling harm.
The issue is bigger than which bookmaker was involved. It is a system that has used inducements to keep people gambling.
Australia needs a ban on gambling inducements and a strong national regulator.
`When your kid asks "what are the odds?" during the footy, what do you answer?
The Alliance
27 July 2026
Gambling companies spend millions making sure your children know their brands, their odds, and how to place a bet before they're old enough to do it legally.
We have had enough.
We're launching Parents for Gambling Reform, a movement of mums, dads, and carers who are done watching gambling ads follow their kids everywhere. We want to hear from you. What are your kids seeing? What are you worried about?
Governments Profit While Communities Pay
The Conversation
27 July 2026
Australian governments are responsible for reducing gambling harm, yet they rely heavily on gambling revenue.
NSW collected $3.6 billion in gambling taxes in 2024-25, while Victoria collected more than $2.4 billion. This dependence creates a powerful barrier to meaningful reform.
As one MP warned, government had “sunk to the depths, was desperate for money, and was capitalising upon the most vulnerable members of the community”.
Governments must reform federal-state funding so essential services no longer depend on the gambling losses of everyday Australians.
**Queensland’s Record Poker Machine Losses Demand Action**
Newsport
24 July 2026
Queenslanders lost almost $4.1 billion to poker machines last financial year, while the number of machines increased to about 40,720.
The Alliance CEO Martin Thomas said: “The failure of the Queensland Government to properly regulate poker machines, even allowing more machines in some cases, is causing gambling harm at record levels.”
The Alliance is calling for shorter operating hours and mandatory carded play with precommitment, so people set a loss limit before gambling.
Governments must put public safety ahead of poker machine profits.
"Labor has a gambling problem": Labor’s millions in gambling donations revealed amid last-ditch push for reform
The Age
22 July 2026
Labor received at least $4.4 million from gambling-related entities over five years, while weakening proposed gambling advertising reforms.
Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello warned: “Their power and grip on the party through donations seems to be untouchable.”
He also said: “Labor has a gambling problem, whether it’s [NSW Premier Chris] Minns over pokies, or Albanese refusing to implement the Murphy report.”
Political donations must not stand in the way of reforms that protect families from gambling harm. Australians deserve stronger advertising restrictions, independent regulation and political courage.
Tasmania’s Pokies Plan Risks More Harm
ABC News
14 July 2026
Tasmania’s gaming regulator says new poker machine policies could increase gambling harm and “take Tasmania backwards”.
The commission was not consulted before measures including ATMs in venues and ticket-in ticket-out systems were approved.
Tasmania needs stronger safeguards, not policies that make it easier to chase losses.
$104 Billion Lost
The New Daily
12 July 2026
Since the Murphy review, Australians have lost over $104 billion to gambling. Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello called it a "national tragedy."
"Behind this eye-watering gambling losses total... lies social harm on an industrial scale, including bankruptcies, family break-up, domestic violence and suicide," he said.
He said the government's response is "far too timid."
Betr Licence Shows Why We Need National Regulation
ABC
7 July 2026
Tasmania has granted Betr a gambling licence, even as the government admits its laws need updating.
Andrew Wilkie asked: “And call me pedantic, but isn't the right time to do that before you roll out the red carpet to a predatory industry?”
Mark Kempster of The Alliance said the move is a “perfect example” of why Australia needs a national regulator.
People deserve protection from gambling harm, not weak rules industry can exploit.
Gambling ads are a broken system - Labor must act
SMH
6 July 2026
Sean Kelly makes the case clearly: if Labor has a moral obligation to act on housing because the system is broken, the same must apply to gambling ads.
The evidence is damning. As one report found, “greater advertising exposure increases participation which leads to a greater risk of harm.”
Children, young people and those already at risk are being exposed to relentless gambling marketing. The Alliance is calling for stronger action, not half-measures.
Digital carve-out leaves Australians exposed
ABC 7:30
3 July 2026
Three years after the late MP Peta Murphy’s landmark report called for a total ban on gambling advertising, the federal government’s proposed laws still fall short.
A key concern is the carve-out for digital platforms. As 7.30’s Jacob Greber reported, the legislation could allow online platforms to carry more gambling advertising than terrestrial television, leaving people exposed through social media and targeted digital content.
Liberal MP Simon Kennedy says there is enough bipartisan support, including among Labor backbenchers, to send the legislation to further inquiry.
Gambling ads: kids deserve better
ABC news
1 July 2026
Liberal MP Simon Kennedy has urged his party to “stand up” for Australians harmed by gambling and push for stronger gambling ad reform.
Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello has also called out the failure of weak opt-out measures and the continued exposure of children to gambling advertising.
Mr Costello said SBS’s opt-out feature had not worked, with just 0.2 per cent of users opting out.
Parents Have the Power to Change the Conversation on Gambling
The Alliance
30 June 2026
Too many people who share their stories with The Alliance have one thing in common - their gambling began when they were children or teenagers.
What started as a normalised activity in their family, community, or through exposure to gambling advertising often grew into serious gambling harm later in life. Their stories are a powerful reminder that gambling is not just an adult issue - the messages and influences young people are exposed to today can shape their future.
“Truly shocking” pokie approval puts community at risk
774 ABC Melbourne
29 June 2026
ANZ approved a loan for Dorset Gardens Hotel on the condition it increased the number of pokies in its gaming room - a move also approved by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission.
The Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello slammed the decision, warning it would do more harm than good for the local area.
Direct quote available: “truly shocking”
Kym Cavigan’s accountant stole her life savings
That's Life
18 June 2026
“I’ve stolen clients’ money, and you’re one of them.”
Kym Cavigan says her accountant, Andrew Marshall, stole $871,000 of her life savings and used it to fund gambling harm. Marshall pleaded guilty to theft and was sentenced to six years and five months in prison.
Kym is now working seven days a week and fighting for stronger laws so victims of crime can recover money lost to gambling companies.
Why Australia Still Has Gambling Ads Everywhere
ABC News Loop
5 June 2026
Australians lose $32 billion a year to gambling, the highest per-capita losses in the world. Yet despite a parliamentary inquiry recommending a full ban on online gambling advertising and strong public support for tougher action, Australia is moving towards only a partial advertising cap.
The ABC News Loop highlights concerns that powerful interests across gambling companies, sporting codes and broadcasters continue to influence the debate while Australians, including children, are exposed to gambling ads across sport and social media.
It's time for meaningful reform that puts people ahead of industry profits and reduces gambling harm.
Private school sport should never be a gambling market
The Straight
1 June 2026
A pop-up gambling site reportedly offered odds on sports contests between Melbourne private schools, including competitions involving minors. ACMA is investigating whether the site was unlicensed, while Victoria’s gambling regulator is also looking into it, with gambling on sports involving minors banned.
This is a stark reminder of why stronger protections are needed to keep gambling away from young people and community sport.
1,000 Days of Silence on Gambling Reform - Will It Be Enough?
Enlighten News
29 May 2026
After years of delay, the Federal Government has announced some gambling reform measures, but concerns remain about whether they go far enough to address Australia's staggering gambling losses of $32 billion a year.
The Alliance CEO Martin Thomas described Australia's gambling crisis as an “epidemic” and warned: “This [online advertising] is breeding and grooming a whole new generation of gamblers.”
The article highlights growing youth gambling participation, the influence of gambling industry donations, and ongoing calls for full implementation of the Murphy Report recommendations to reduce gambling harm.
Sportsbet’s Secret Trojan Horse
Australian Financial Review
24 May 2026
Online lotteries are booming, and gambling companies are finding new ways to reach people.
This article links Sportsbet to Sportsdream Rewards, a subscription-based prize scheme reportedly hidden behind the same shell company used to secretly run the NRL’s tipping competition.
Australia already has the world’s highest gambling losses. We need stronger rules to stop gambling companies using rewards clubs, prize draws and data harvesting as back doors into people’s lives.
Greater Dandenong backs stronger gambling ad reform
Dandenong Star Journal
18 May 2026
Alliance Leadership Council member Greater Dandenong is calling for a full gambling ad ban, as the community faces some of Melbourne’s heaviest poker machine losses.
Greater Dandenong mayor Sophie Tan said young people were being targeted by online gambling ads, compounding the area’s heavy losses on poker machines.
The Alliance CEO Martin Thomas warned: “Our kids are also exposed to a tsunami of gambling ads on television and through the sports broadcasts.”
Young people should be protected from gambling harm, not targeted by an industry built on losses.
Labor’s Halfhearted Gambling Harm Response Falls Short
The Age
16 May 2026
Kyle Hudson was just 22 when he died by suicide after experiencing devastating gambling harm. The court heard online gambling companies contacted him hundreds of times before his death, and that his gambling activity triggered internal alert systems.
The federal response to the Murphy report fails to deliver the urgent reforms Australians need. There will be no national online gambling regulator, no comprehensive gambling advertising ban, and no action on inducements.
Alliance CEO Martin Thomas says Australians lose $31.5 billion every year - the highest per person in the world.
“The reason why we have such a huge problem here is because we have some of the laxest gambling legislation in the world,” he says.
The government must honour Peta Murphy’s work and protect families from gambling harm.
AFL’s gambling problem claim another scalp, amid conflict of interest quagmire
The Alliance
13 May 2026
The AFL’s chronic gambling problem continues to create serious conflicts of interests, undermines the integrity of the sport and exposes our kids to a tsunami of gambling ads, the Alliance’s Chief Advocate, Tim Costello, says.
This warning from the Alliance for Gambling Reform follows the news four-time premiership player, Luke Hodge, has stepped down from the All-Australian selection panel due to his relationship with a major betting agency.
Landmark inquest examines gambling inducement harms
Channel 7
12 May 2026
A coroner is piecing together the final moments of a young man’s life, examining whether gambling companies played a role in his death. The inquest raises serious questions about companies ignoring clear red flags around inducements and gambling harm.
Alliance Voice for Gambling Reform Mark S said: "Regardless of the circumstance of this case which will be examined, we know inducements tend to disappear the moment a person starts winning - they appear to be reserved exclusively for consistent losers. This is precisely why the government must legislate a ban on all such inducements, which it conspicuously failed to do in its response tabled this week."
The odds are stacked against our kids
The Alliance
4 May 2026
Gambling companies are designing products to exploit how our brains work - and our children are paying the price. The government’s reforms won’t begin until 2027, don’t ban online ads, and fall far short of what evidence shows is needed.
There’s still time. The Senate hasn’t voted yet, and stronger laws are possible - but only with public pressure.
Partial bans won’t stop gambling harm
The Conversation
30 Apr 2026
Australia loses more per person to gambling than anywhere else in the world - over $32 billion in a single year. Yet proposed reforms still allow multiple ads every hour.
Experts are clear: partial bans don’t work. As highlighted, reforms must go further, including “banning cross-promotion content that mixes commentary with odds” and stronger limits across all media.
Without decisive action, harmful exposure continues - especially for children and those already experiencing gambling harm.
The Alliance is calling for a comprehensive ban and real protections that put people before profits.
Weak Reforms Won’t Cut It
The Age
6 Apr 2026
When it comes to tackling harm, small changes aren’t enough. This analysis highlights a growing concern: governments risk looking weak when they delay or water down reform.
It points to gambling policy directly: “similar to Labor’s recent gambling changes: surprisingly small for something that has taken so long. Something that fails to convince voters it is really committed to fixing the problem.”
That’s the issue. Minimal action won’t reduce gambling harm or protect communities.
The Alliance is calling for meaningful reform - not half measures.
No More Bets with Dylan
A Current Affair
16 Apr 2026
Dylan hasn’t placed a bet in over 300 days. Now he’s sharing his story to raise awareness and support others facing gambling harm.
We are proud to have Dylan as part of our Voices for Gambling Reform program, where lived experience and expertise is driving real change.
Women are fed up with gambling men – and a PM who won’t stop it
Financial Review
10 Apr 2026
This piece highlights growing frustration - especially among women - at an industry “led by men behaving badly” and a government response that falls short.
“Australian women may not easily forgive a prime minister they perceive as being on the side of an industry led by men behaving badly.”
The evidence is clear: relentless promotion, weak regulation, and rising gambling harm. Australia deserves stronger action - not excuses.
Gambling companies accused of targeting vulnerability
ABC News
3 Aug 2026
Former NRL player Luke Bateman alleges gambling company employees offered to arrange illicit drugs while cultivating him as a "high-value customer".
At the height of his gambling harm, Bateman was losing tens of thousands of dollars each month and receiving relentless inducements.
“What we're trying to stop is the relentless targeting of vulnerable individuals,” he said.
His evidence shows why self-regulation is not enough. We must ban inducements, end gambling ads and establish a national gambling regulator.
Sport brings families together. Gambling ads shouldn’t be part of that.
The Alliance
27 July 2026
Family time around sport should be about connection, excitement and the game - not gambling promotions.
Has your family been affected by gambling ads? Share your story with The Alliance and help strengthen the case for meaningful reform and better protections for children.
Stacking the Deck: Gambling Harm and the Politics of Reform
Wallis
23 July 2026
In a new Appendix W podcast episode, The Alliance CEO Martin Thomas explores how gambling has become a major public health issue, particularly for young Australians.
The discussion examines evidence of gambling harm, changes in the gambling landscape, recent regulatory reforms and the stronger policies needed to protect communities. Martin also considers what Australia’s gambling environment could look like in 10 years.
Listen to the episode and explore The Alliance’s research:
THIS COULD BE OUR CHANCE - HAVE YOUR SAY ON GAMBLING REFORM NOW
The Alliance
17 July 2026
Submissions close 24 July 2026. Tell the Senate to close streaming and live sport loopholes, implement the Murphy Report, phase in a full gambling advertising ban and ban gambling inducements.
Help tip this decision over the line.
Your voice could help shape the final reforms. Make a submission today
Tasmania's pokies policy could make gambling harm worse, regulator warns
Pulse Tasmania
14 July 2026
Tasmania's gaming regulator warned the Treasurer it had "no evidence" the government's new pokies policy "will minimise harm," and cautioned it could "take Tasmania backwards from where it currently is." The regulator wasn't even consulted first.
A shelved alternative was projected to cut harm and boost the economy by $230 million instead.
The Pocket-Sized TAB
The Guardian
12 July 2026
Once, gambling was confined behind the doors of a local TAB. Today, it follows people everywhere through pubs, clubs and smartphones, 24 hours a day.
Morgan Campbell writes: “More money can be lost, faster, and without anyone seeing you lose it.”
The shift from physical venues to private, always-on digital gambling has made harm easier to hide and harder to escape. What now looks like convenience can carry devastating consequences for individuals and families.
Grassroots pressure forces tougher poker machine reform
SMH
5 July 2026
NSW Labor members are pushing the Minns Government towards stronger action on poker machine harm, including a moratorium on new machine licences, mandatory facial recognition in gaming rooms, tougher rules on machine transfers, and higher taxes for mega-clubs making more than $20 million a year from pokies.
With NSW recording around $10 billion in annual poker machine losses, reform cannot wait. Communities need action that puts people before gambling profits.
Donate to The Alliance today.
Young people are being targeted by gambling
ABC Radio
1 July 2026
Join Alliance Advocate Mark Kempster, Dr Charles Livingstone, Reverend Stu Cameron, Dr Sally Gainsbury and ABC host Steve Cannane on Big Ideas as they explore how the gambling industry is targeting young people through digital platforms, personalised algorithms and the growing overlap between gaming and gambling.
Betting apps are the new poker machines
The Alliance Voices
1 July 2026
Max knows how gambling harm begins, and how deliberately the industry keeps people trapped.
"The providers are very wealthy, and they're very cunning. They make it so easy to place a bet. It is predatory."
His story shows why weak reforms are not enough. Gambling inducements, endless ads and app-based gambling are putting young people and families at risk, while support remains out of reach for many who need it most.
Coalition, Greens team up to delay Labor’s watered-down gambling bill
SMH
30 June 2026
Labor’s long-delayed gambling advertising reforms are facing pushback from the Coalition and Greens, who say the package does not go far enough to protect families from gambling harm.
The bill would cap TV gambling ads at three per hour, phase in some stadium and jersey ad bans, and restrict some radio and online ads - but it falls short of the Murphy report’s call for a total gambling ad blackout.
As Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said: “It’s a half-arsed measure that will not protect families.”
Is the PM try to ‘take out the trash’ on gambling reform?
The Age
24 June 2026
Economics editor Ross Gittins argues the Albanese Government’s response to gambling advertising reform was designed to attract as little attention as possible. Despite strong public support for a ban and recommendations from the Murphy Inquiry, the government stopped short of comprehensive action.
As Gittins writes: “The words ‘strong actions’ were repeated so often that it made you wonder whether the actions were anything but strong.”
With Australians losing more than $32 billion a year to legal gambling, the debate over meaningful reform is far from over.
Youth Gambling in Victoria: Normalised Before 18
The Alliance
15 June 2026
New Alliance research with 200 Victorian 18- and 19-year-olds shows that young people are growing up surrounded by gambling promotion through sport, digital media and everyday advertising.
Workshop participants described gambling as highly visible, accessible and embedded in social environments. As one young person said: “Not having as many advertisements everywhere you look, like on busses and all the words I see everywhere is part of the solution”.
The findings highlight the need for stronger protections, better education and action to reduce gambling harm among young people before harmful behaviours become entrenched.
Broad Support Grows for Stronger Gambling Reform
The Age
5 June 2026
More than a dozen Coalition MPs, along with former Prime Minister John Howard and former premiers Jeff Kennett and Nick Greiner, are calling for stronger gambling laws, arguing Labor’s proposed reforms do not go far enough to reduce gambling harm.
The Alliance’s Chief Advocate Tim Costello welcomed the growing support across Parliament, saying:
“I know, because Labor members talk to me, that they want something stronger, but they’re toeing the line. We’ve known the teals and Greens view for a while, now we know the bulk of the Liberal Party’s view. The prime minister should welcome this.”
Weak Gambling Ad Reforms Defy Logic
AFR
31 May 2026
Under Labor’s draft reforms, gambling ads during live sport could still be allowed after 8.30pm.
Alliance Chief Advocate Tim Costello said the idea children all go to bed by 8.30pm in the middle of a weekend sporting event defies logic.
He said: “Imagine saying ‘we’re going to let cigarette ads start at half-time because kids should be in bed’.”
Kids deserve protection from gambling harm, not loopholes that keep exposing them to gambling ads during sport.
Gambling harm is being hidden in plain sight
ABC TV
26 May 2026
Max’s review of Shaun Micallef’s Going For Broke shows how gambling can be normalised through mateship, beers and a day out with friends - while the risks are pushed out of sight.
Max said, “When the presenter, Shaun, met with a group of young men it made me feel concerned at how much each bloke gambled.”
He also said, “The group of friends seemed to be having a great time with laughs and beers but may be unaware of the dangers of the possibility of getting addicted to gambling on the horses or dogs.”
We need stronger action to challenge the normalisation of gambling and protect young people from gambling harm.
Are we really the lucky country?
ABC
19 May 2026
We’re excited for the launch of Shaun Micallef’s three-part series Shaun Micallef’s Going For Broke, exploring why Australians are the world’s biggest gamblers and how the odds are stacked against the next generation.
Watch as Shaun asks the question: “are we really the lucky country?”
We want to hear your comments on the program, which you can watch on ABC iview at 8pm tonight.
“Half measures” won’t protect kids
Hope Mornings 103.2
19 May 2026
Tim appeared on Hope Mornings 103.2 to call out the Federal Government’s response to gambling reform as “timid” and “half measures”.
“The government has squibbed a regulator. The government has squibbed a full ban on ads. The government has squibbed the banning of inducements.”
Cutting gambling ads from 8 an hour to 3 does not go far enough. The Alliance is calling for a full ban on gambling ads, a national regulator and stronger protections from inducements.
Donate to The Alliance today to help stop gambling harm.
Albanese Government presents a timid gambling reform package after years of delay
The Point
15 May 2026
The Albanese Government officially responded to the Murphy Review of online gambling in the shadows of the Federal Budget.
In a move some described as ‘cowardly’ and ‘strange’, the report on the government’s proposed gambling reforms was tabled while journalists were literally locked up (in the pre-Budget lockup).
It reflects the ambiguity of a government that hails its gambling reforms as ground-breaking but appears determined to avoid scrutiny.
In the same way the Prime Minister detailed the proposed changes at the National Press Club in a speech (given the day before Good Friday) that was dominated by the implications of war in the Middle East.
Gambling harm must be treated as a public health issue
SBS World News
13 May 2026
The Alliance’s Martin Thomas says the government has only “half adopted” a “handful” of the Murphy report’s recommendations.
“Overall the Murphy report had a huge focus on treating gambling harm as a public health issue because it costs the nation a huge amount in health and social costs, and there's no indication the governments going down this track,” Thomas said.
The Senate must strengthen these reforms so they properly reflect the Murphy report and protect communities from gambling harm.
Govt Reforms Fail Young Australians
ABC News
12 May 2026
The Federal Government’s gambling reforms fail to protect children from the relentless normalisation of gambling. Alliance CEO Martin Thomas warned: “The evidence shows that underage kids as young as 14 are being targeted through social media to download gambling apps.”
Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster shared his past lived experience with ABC Radio National, revealing he placed his first bet at just 16 years old and was exposed to gambling through sporting culture from a young age. Mark warned that easy access to gambling apps saw gambling become “every hour of the day” and left him feeling “completely trapped by the whole thing.”
Safer gambling ads may be doing harm
GambleAware
1 May 2026
New research for GambleAware has found some industry-led “safer gambling” adverts may actually increase gambling engagement, especially among younger people and those experiencing gambling harm.
The study found some operator campaigns had “backfire effects” and “may encourage gambling engagement”, while reinforcing the idea gambling is safe.
This is why industry cannot be trusted to mark its own homework. We need strong, independent standards for gambling harm prevention messaging - not ads that drive people back to gambling.
How Online Gambling Harms Young People
Anglicare Tasmania
28 Apr 2026
Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster joins radio host Tubes (Andy Taylor) for an honest conversation about how online gambling can quickly escalate into serious harm for young people.
Mark shares how gambling began when he was just 15, eventually leading to losses of $100,000 and nearly costing him his family. Together, they unpack why gambling feels normalised through sport and youth culture, the warning signs families often miss, and the hidden impacts on mental health, relationships and identity.
This important discussion offers practical ways parents, teachers, carers and communities can help prevent gambling harm and support young people early. Thank you to Anglicare Tasmania.
Unpacking the PM’s Gambling Reform: Using Your Voice to Shape What’s Next
The Alliance
24 Apr 2026
The Prime Minister has announced new gambling reforms — but what do they really mean, and are they enough?
Join the Alliance for Gambling Reform for a public webinar unpacking what’s been announced, the progress made, and the gaps that remain. Hear from Alliance CEO Martin Thomas, Chief Advocate Rev. Tim Costello, and lived‑experience speaker Mark Kempster as they explore:
- What’s been announced: the wins and the gaps
- What the reforms mean for communities
- How you can get involved and use your voice to fight for greater protections
Date: 28 April 2026
Time: 12:30pm - 1:15pm (AEST)
The government has made a move on gambling ads — but it’s only a partial step.
94.7 The Pulse Radio
14 Apr 2026
With the legislation still to pass Parliament, there’s a critical window to strengthen it.
“There is now a really golden opportunity to strengthen these reforms.”
Martin Thomas, CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, told Rob Cameron on Sports Fix on 94.7 The Pulse Radio.
Now is the time to get it right.