Crown’s mandatory carded play is working — helping reduce gambling harm and money laundering. But reform must go further. As Tim Costello says, “It’s an absolute vote winner. Every survey shows that Victorians are sick of the damage from pokies. Victoria and Jacinta need to lead and they will win.”

It’s time for statewide mandatory pre-commitment — no more delays, no more excuses. Let’s level the playing field and protect our communities.

Support for banning gambling advertising is widespread, according to new polling from The Australia Institute:

🎯 Three in four Australians (76%) support a total ban on gambling ads phased in over three years. This is an increase on the 72% reported in a similar poll conducted by Redbridge late in 2024.

📱 Four in five (81%) Australians support banning gambling ads on social media and online.

📺 Nearly nine in ten (87%) support banning gambling ads during prime time TV hours for family and children.

⚽ More than three quarters (79%) support banning gambling ads in sporting stadiums and on players’ uniforms.

📉 More than three quarters (78%) agree that Australian government policies should aim to reduce the amount people spend on gambling.

🧒 Four in five Australians (80%) agree that children are exposed to too many gambling ads.

New research from Melbourne Uni reveals a 57% increase in Australian men gambling on sport over the past seven years—jumping to over 60% for younger men.

https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/news/100919-the-rate-of-sports-betting-has-surged-more-than-57-%E2%80%93-and-younger-people-are-betting-more

Alliance CEO Martin Thomas warns: "The spiralling rates at which young people are gambling is a horrendous concern."

With Australians losing $32 billion a year to gambling, the government must act on the 31 recommendations from last year’s parliamentary inquiry. The fastest-growing form of gambling is online sports gambling—and young men are paying the price.

Young Australians gamble less than older generations—but when they do, they engage in the most harmful forms. Nearly a third of 18-24-year-olds experience gambling harm, the highest rate of any age group. Pokies and online sports gambling, designed for immersion and addiction, are driving this crisis. With relentless gambling promotions and easy access, we’re failing young people. It’s time for urgent regulation to protect them.

A government adviser told gambling reform advocates that gambling isn’t as serious a public health issue as smoking. Alliance advocate Mark Kempster pushed back: “It only takes one bet to get addicted to something, so to not see it in that light was really disappointing to hear.”

Despite overwhelming public and bipartisan support, the government has stalled on the You Win Some, You Lose More report for 18 months. “We have a report sitting on a desk for the last 18 months, which gives you easy guidelines and outlines of how to rein in this industry and how to protect vulnerable Australians, which has not been taken seriously at the moment,” Kempster said.

Nearly two years since the Murphy Inquiry, not one of its 31 gambling reform recommendations has been implemented — despite urgent calls for change.

This week, as Victoria debates mandatory precommitment cards, federal leaders remain silent. Tim Costello, Chief Advocate for The Alliance, says: "Both Prime Minister Albanese and Peter Dutton have been captured by the gambling industry."

Communities are suffering. Families are hurting. And still, gambling profits come before people.

Victorians lost a staggering $4 billion on poker machines in 2023-24. Now, the government is set to trial mandatory precommitment cards at 40 venues—but delays are costing lives.

Tim Costello is urging Premier Jacinta Allan to act now: "Enough harm, suicides, domestic violence and damage. Our courts are clogged with crime. Stand up for Victorians, pass this cashless card" he said.

Crown Casino was forced to introduce precommitment after a royal commission exposed its failures. Data on Crown’s pokies is not available publicly, but government insiders say that punter losses at the casino have dropped as a result of the scheme. If it works there, why wait to implement it everywhere?

A new report by The Alliance and Wesley Mission reveals Australians lose $31.5 billion to gambling every year—more than the federal government spends on aged care. That’s a bigger hit to household budgets than electricity and gas bills combined.

Alliance CEO Martin Thomas warns, “For every person who gambles, six other people are affected.” With families already struggling, gambling losses are worsening the cost-of-living crisis. Yet, despite overwhelming public support, the government has stalled on gambling reform, bowing to lobbying pressure from major sporting codes.

Banning gambling ads is a simple, non-inflationary solution that would bring real relief. It’s time for political leaders to act in the public’s interest—not the gambling industry’s.

Australians lost a staggering $31.5 billion to gambling last year—more than we spend on electricity and gas combined. The fastest-growing form of gambling? Online - driven by relentless ads and easy access, exposing a new generation to devastating losses.

Martin Thomas, CEO of The Alliance, warns: "The rapid, spiralling pace of online gambling, led by young people and exposing a whole new generation, is turbo-charging our losses."

With an election approaching, we must demand urgent reform—starting with a ban on gambling ads. Let's stop the harm.

The Albanese government promised to crack down on sports gambling ads, calling them “reprehensible.” But nearly two years after a landmark inquiry recommended a full ban, Labor has done nothing. Instead, it has delayed reform, held secret meetings with gambling industry giants, and admitted it won’t act before the election.

Meanwhile, gambling ads still flood Australian sport, normalising gambling for kids and causing immense harm to communities. The government’s inaction has left the industry to set its own rules—proving yet again that profits are being put before people.