The Australian Government is facing increasing calls from members of the public, advocates, and MPs to add historic restrictions on gambling advertising. So what could the bans look like, and how likely are they to pass?

On a per-capita basis, Australians are the biggest losers in the WORLD when it comes to gambling. It’s estimated we lose a whopping $25 billion as a nation every year, which is almost $1,000 per person.

By comparison, the United States loses about a fourth of that per person. So just as the seldom-used saying goes: What happens in Vegas… happens substantially more in Australia on a per capita basis.

More than just an activity that causes huge financial losses, gambling is considered a significant health issue that affects hundreds of thousands of Aussies. Unfortunately, not enough is being done to prevent the issue from worsening, with a report in June revealing that one in three bets placed in Australia were made by problem gamblers.

In response to this crisis, the Government is being pressured by the political left, right, and centre to do something about the current state of gambling ads.

Everything from a limit to an all-out ban has been proposed as a solution, but what’s actually happening? Here’s everything we know so far about the Government’s potential restrictions on gambling advertising.

What are the proposed restrictions on gambling ads?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese‘s Labor Party is set to begin having internal negotiations about exactly how the change in gambling ads will look. Currently there are two major proposals for reforming gambling ads in Australia, each supported by a different major party.

However the PM has also warned that the Government will need to be extremely considerate of what restrictions it applies, to avoid “unintended consequences”.

Liberals and Greens call for total ban on gambling ads

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard made headlines over the weekend when the traditionally conservative figure surprisingly called for more progressive restrictions on gambling ads.

Howard suggested that the Albanese Government enact a blanket ban on all gambling advertising in the country.

“As an unapologetic sports fan I am troubled by how advertising is now linked with all our major sporting codes and what message this is sending to our children,” said Howard.

“Many Australians are alarmed about the proliferation of gambling advertising on our screens and the mounting losses through gambling.”

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull also showed his support by signing an open letter endorsing the ban, along with 14 other politicians including Dr Monique Ryan, Allegra Spender, Kylea Tink, Zali Steggall, Zoe Daniel, and Senators David Pocock and Sarah Hanson-Young.

The call for a blanket ban on the ads is consistent with the recommendations made in a report by late Labor MP Peta Murphy. In 2023 Murphy’s Parliamentary Inquiry advised that all gambling ads be banned online in Australia within three years.

Labor tosses up a limit on the amount of ads

The Labor Party was originally supposed to begin its internal discussions on the topic this week. But just like me and any conversation with my parents, they put it off until next week.

Once those negotiations finally begin, the party is expected to opt for a softer ban on gambling ads, instead choosing to limit how often the ads are allowed to be shown during a broadcast.

“We’re doing that in a way that will ensure there aren’t unintended consequences,” said the PM.

“We’re taking a comprehensive approach, recognising this is a complex issue.”

According to the ABC, some Labor backbenchers reported that the proposed ban would cap the number of gambling ads on every TV channel to two per hour until 10pm. It also will reportedly propose banning ads during children’s programs, and an hour before and after a live sporting event.

Interestingly, a similar policy was also proposed by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who in his 2024 Federal Budget reply speech said that his party would support a ban on gambling ads during televised sport, as well as the hour before and after a game.

So does that mean we can expect some sort of unity between the Liberals and Labor to get a bill across?

Short answer: probably not.

Why are these restrictions all so complex?

The proposal to ban gambling advertising in any degree has always been a highly controversial topic for any government, as it creates what is called a “wedge” in politics.

Though cancelling gambling ads entirely would have massive health benefits, similar to the bans on tobacco ads that Howard pointed out, it’s not as simple as banning an entire industry and calling it a day.

When Albanese talks about “unintended consequences”, what he’s really referring to is the intricate relationship between politics, advertising, the media, and the public.

Oh what a tangled web we weave.

Australia is due for an election, which means the major parties are setting the board in their long-term chess game to constantly undermine each other and get elected. This wedge issue being brought up could be explained as a Liberal Party tactic to undermine the public trust in Labor.

“Why wouldn’t a government that cares about its people ban these destructive ads?” asks the Opposition — who didn’t ban them during their three terms in power.

It’s an incredibly effective play at making the public lose trust in the sitting government, because from a voter’s perspective it paints politicians as out-of-touch and selfish.

But inside the game of politics, the reason a sitting government would opt for a lesser ban is because of the fallout from advertisers and media.

The media industry makes a buttload from gambling ads: that’s why they run so much.

And when a government takes away any sort of revenue from the media, it typically results in said media reporting to its readers — AKA the voting public — negative stories about the government, until revenue is returned.

So if you’re a sitting politician, let’s look at your options:

Either you enact a ban that means the entire media will turn voters against you. OR, you don’t… and have your Opposition turn voters against you.

Congrats, you lose!

In true “small target” Labor fashion, the Government has opted to try and make everyone happy with a restriction that meets the media, advertisers, and the public’s needs somewhere in the middle.

However, as anyone who’s ever been a people-pleaser knows, that’s not how life works. And it’s definitely not how politics works.

We’ll have to wait until next week to see what form Albanese’s proposed gambling ad restrictions take.

For now, I’ll take a gamble that people get upset.

[Image: Getty]