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.

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.

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 Voice 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."

Quentin Beresford shares what drove him to write Hooked and what he uncovered along the way. Read the behind-the-scenes piece on our website:

Haydn and Matthew are on the front line in schools, delivering powerful seminars to help young people understand and prevent gambling harm.

As Health Education teachers, they’re passionate about early intervention and equipping students with practical strategies - reflected in feedback showing 80% leave feeling better prepared to protect themselves.
“This is a powerful and much needed conversation. Education like this plays a vital role in helping young people be aware of the predatory nature of gambling. I’d also like to see meaningful reform in this area to reduce the burden placed on them.” said one supporter.

By also engaging parents and sharing their knowledge, their work is building a stronger, informed community ready to push back against harm.

Book a session or find out more.

A bill to reform Australia’s de facto online gambling regulator is under fire, with serious concerns it won’t fix systemic failures.

The Alliance warns the proposal is “not the product of a genuine commitment to reform, but a kneejerk, reputational response to the national scrutiny generated by the ABC Four Corners investigation, Losing Streak.”

It also describes the bill as “not a serious reform agenda, but a damage-control exercise” for a regulator seen as under-resourced and unfit for purpose.

Without real accountability, gambling harm will continue.

Read our submission:

ABC’s Politics Now explores the federal government’s long-awaited gambling ad reforms in depth, unpacking what’s changed - and what hasn’t.

The measures include limits on TV advertising, removal of ads from stadiums and jerseys, and steps to reduce children’s exposure. But adults will still see gambling ads, particularly online, raising concerns that harm will simply be redirected rather than reduced.

With billions lost to gambling each year, partial bans fall short of what’s needed to properly address gambling harm.

The government’s gambling ad reforms were quietly buried in the bottom half of a major announcement - raising serious questions about priorities and transparency.

While some restrictions may reduce children’s exposure, the reality is Australians are still losing billions every year and gambling harm continues at scale.

Incremental change won’t match the scale of harm. Australians deserve stronger action.

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.

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)

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.

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.

New analysis shows the government’s gambling ad restrictions will cut spending by just 0.8% - a minimal dent in a system causing widespread gambling harm. Even the government’s own report admits a stronger approach would do more.

“while a full ban was identified to have a higher net benefit, it would also impose a significant financial burden on industry which would impact Australia’s grassroots sport and media industry”

We must ask - who is being protected here?

The community deserves bold action that prioritises people over profits.

Despite overseeing 52 online gambling companies, the regulator has no full-time staff and has faced allegations of conflicts of interest and delayed complaint handling.

The Alliance warns the reform falls short, stating: "the … bill reads not as a serious reform agenda, but as a damage-control exercise - introduced after national scrutiny exposed a regulator that is part-time, under-resourced and structurally unsuited to the role it performs."

Stronger, independent oversight is urgently needed to reduce gambling harm.

Australia’s new gambling reforms are a step forward—but they don’t go far enough to stop lives being ruined.

Mark Kempster, Alliance Voices Advocate, writes: “I was a nervous wreck the morning I gave my evidence… I was shaking the whole time I gave my evidence — recounting how many times gambling companies had targeted me with inducements and advertising, even as I was trying to self-exclude every month.”

Despite giving evidence and hoping for meaningful reform, these partial measures ignore the key recommendations of Peta Murphy’s inquiry. Gambling ads will still appear frequently, inducements remain unchecked, and there is no national regulator—leaving Australians exposed to harm and vulnerable to addiction.

Australia’s recently announced gambling ad reforms are a step forward - but they don’t go far enough to prevent gambling harm.

On BBC World News, The Alliance CEO Martin Thomas made the case clearly: "There shouldn't really be any advertised gambling advertising on television or online. The parliamentary inquiry which looked at this almost three years ago, suggested a full ad ban in the same way that cigarette advertising is banned. It's a legal product like gambling, but we should do everything we can to protect kids and to limit its marketing. And that's the case here. I mean, no one's suggesting in Australia that we should have three cigarette ads every hour, so we shouldn't have three gambling ads every hour."

Despite new limits, gambling ads will still appear frequently - continuing to expose children and normalise harm.