Research conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) found that 53 per cent of Australians support outright bans on wagering advertising before 10:30 PM on radio, TV, live-stream or on-demand.
A survey of 1,765 participants discovered that 69 per cent of Australian adults believe that sports and race betting was “too common”, and half of those believed that wagering advertisements were more “noticeable” than others.
AIFS said gambling was a significant public policy issue in Australia, with people losing an estimated $25 billion each year on legal forms of gambling.
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AIFS also confirmed that three in four Australian adults spent money on gambling in the past 12 months, and half of those had been classified as at risk of experiencing gambling harm.
Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said the Albanese government would take further actions to reduce the impact of gambling harm.
“We are closely considering credit card betting as well as the regulation of games which contain gambling-like content, such as loot boxes and simulated gambling,” Minister Rowland said.
The result showed that 70 per cent of Australians were concerned that wagering advertising targeted “people at risk of experiencing gambling problems”.
Dr Rebecca Jenkinson, Executive Manager of the Australian Gambling Research Centre, said the research captured the public’s concerns that wagering advertising normalised gambling activities.
“We know the harms that gambling causes – at an individual, family, and societal level – including impacts on finances, relationships, and health and wellbeing,” Dr Jenkinson said.
“This research shows that exposure to wagering advertising is leading to riskier betting behaviour and escalating the likelihood of experiencing gambling harms.”
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