Albanese announces crackdown on gambling ads, but falls well short of Labor’s own calls for total ban
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/02/gambling-ads-australia-reform-albanese
Albanese announces crackdown on gambling ads, but falls well short of Labor’s own calls for total ban
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/02/gambling-ads-australia-reform-albanese
39 Comments
I’ll take it but hopefully it’s just the start.
People haven’t figured out Albo is a gutless centerist, happy for the poor to stay poor as long as middle Australia is fine.
Wow, Albo finally responds to the gambling ad review from 2023.
Yet the Social Media anonymity ban review was rushed, the laws were rushed, etc. Probably after a nice dinner with a Murdoch editor.
Amazing priorities of the government.
Tbh he should’ve spent his national address last night talking about this instead of wasting everyone’s time on something that could’ve been done as a short YouTube video
pissweak
This was long overdue. Glad somethings being done about it finally
Even Peta Murphy (who did the review) said such piecemeal reforms wouldn’t change anything:
“So the committee heard evidence to suggest that changing things here and there isn’t going to have the intended outcome — what actually is needed is a comprehensive ban.”
It’s going to be hard to gaslight people into thinking this is anything but a capitulation to industry.
Oh good. During a 14 hour period during the day, gambling companies will be limited to just 42 televised ads. That’ll do the trick.
At least ban the integration of gambling into sports media that isn’t obviously promotional. “You should try our gambling ap!” during an ad break is at least slightly better than “here are the current odds at Ladbrokes, you should place a bet right now!” It’s not clear to me if the ban on celebrity endorsements (or anything else proposed) would cover this.
Also make the operators subject to the law in the customer’s jurisdiction rather than the one they’re registered in, so they don’t just get cushy treatment from the captured NT government.
Maybe its just me but the list seems like its going to be a big hit to the gambling companies.
* Capped to three ads an hour (total, NOT per company) on broadcast television between 6am and 8:30pm;
* Banned on radio during school drop off and pick-up times;
* Banned from online platforms unless a user over 18 has logged on to an account; users will still have the option to opt-out of the advertising.
* Ban celebrities and sports players from appearing in gambling adds and odds-style ads.
* Ban gambling ads from sports venues and on players’ and officials’ uniforms.
We are never going to have a full ban. It’s stupid to think that we would ever get that. But if you actaully look at those things and the follow on effects. That will be a big problem for them.
Something better than nothing
At least I’ll find this easier to avoid, a few streaming services have gambling ads which I really struggle with, and there isn’t a way to opt out. That’s usually the only place I see them
Wish it was a ban though…
I’d love a total ban, but I also know revolutions happen by getting 5% of what you want at a time.
Srsly, we didn’t get smoke free workplaces, smoke free public places, plain packaging, sponsorship bans, advertising bans, point of sale display bans and every other anti-smoking win all at once. But together and over time, they added up to massive improvements.
imagine being so in the pocket of the gambling lobby you try to sell a limit of 3 ads an hour when kids are watching as a win. im really starting to think albo isnt just an amiable idiot but a not very nice person
Good ol’ Albo, always getting in and doing nothing much! What a trooper!
Here is what the TabCorp CEO volunteered to do in 2022
* Only Federal Government action can bring nationally consistent regulations into line with the modern economy. Effective enforcement is only possible if a single national betting regulator has the power to license and impose conditions on betting operators.
(this wasnt implemented)
* The effectiveness of any future NCPF initiatives is limited without addressing the fact that there is **too much gambling advertising**. There should be further restrictions on when and where gambling advertising occurs. If an agreement cannot be reached in a reasonable timeframe, **Tabcorp will voluntarily stop all gambling advertising** on free-to-air television between 6:30am and 8:30pm (we have already started phasing it out). Australian families and children should be able to watch live sport and television without being bombarded by gambling advertising.
(How about instead of your kind offer of **no** ads we’ll allow 3 per hour)
[https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs/Onlinegamblingimpacts/Submissions](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs/Onlinegamblingimpacts/Submissions)
One of the biggest problems with gambling is that the economics of sports have come to rely on gambling advertising money. By slowly introducing more stringent restrictions on gambling advertisement you can decrease dependency on gambling without the government having to bail out anything.
Also, labor have realised that any sudden change in anything causes mass media outrage, even when the changes are good. This gives liberals the target to point fingers. They are just playing the political system we have.
Piss weak Albo.
You let the Ekarens fuck us all over on privacy then can’t even keep your words on banning gambling advertising.
Seriously, you should be thankful Dutton and Taylor are such clowns otherwise you never would have got in or been able to stay as PM.
Labor is so cowed that they literally don’t enact their own policy when they hold an overwhelming majority.
Shows just how much they actually care about their stated policies. All rhetoric to pretend they have principles.
It’s a start
Restricted to 42 ads per day per channel.
Cop that Gambling Companies!
^(*Before 8:30pm -anything after that is fine)
Gotta weeen a few places off the gambling ad money by the sounds.
How about no advertising where children may be watching or are around.
The constant bombardment of gambling ads is ridiculous
[ Removed by Reddit ]
Better than nothing but only just.
As a level 3 basketball referee and I am 100% deaf, it’s a start. A gambling ad from sports venues and uniforms are fucking everywhere in Big V / NBL1 (I haven’t reffing NBL1 yet) venues where a lot of children are around
Albo nibbles at these problems. But doesn’t take the full bite.
He must be sick of answering questions about the cost of fuel.
Any idea when this will kick in? Will it be phased in ove the next 8 years to appease our gambling overlords?
Hopefully it’s just the start. Fucking so sick of gambling ads in like everything every 5 mins
what a squib
The “at least it’s a start” and “better than nothing” crowd are simps. This is pissweak. At least the Greens are calling this out.
The idiot has a free kick right in front of goal, and he manages to glance it off the side of his boot. Fuck me he’s hopeless.
This is all about stopping the gutting of the free to air TV and radio industry. But with the rise of social media, Youtube and alternate media this was going to happen anyway. I think the community has had enough of the harm caused by unadulterated gambling and wants change.
It is time for the gutting to occur. Paramount first, and then as my second guess, 7. Their news channels will likely be paired back to the bone or dropped all together. The boomers and Gen X will likely get more dumbed down unfortunately.
This bloke is the epitome of milktoaste pussyfooter.
What a pathetic, unambitious lot they all are. The majority government with an opportunity to significantly make changes to this country to benefit the population. I will never vote liberal as they currently stand but labour is honestly just as dog shit.
Ban pokies and all gambling sites
Before you get out the pitchforks, remember Dutton would have made gambling ads mandatory is primary schools.
Twenty bucks nothing changes…any takers? /s
as long as peter v’landys feels aggrieved, i’m satisfied
It’s a start, and in an age of massively disappointing governments with little to no significant reform, I’ll take it.