Australian PM blasted for failing to show “strong leadership” in gambling debate 

An Australian politician has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of failing to show “strong leadership, moral courage and political conviction” over the debate on online gambling. 

The comments by Liberal Party MP Jenny Ware came nearly 18 months after the parliamentary committee, chaired by the late Peta Murphy, delivered a report that included 31 recommendations into gambling-related harm prevention for the government. 

Ware, who represents the New South Wales constituency of Hughes, was involved in the process to produce the report and has claimed the government is continuing to drag its heels on the matter.

Communications minister Michelle Rowland was recently pressed for comment on whether any sort of response to the report was imminent but opted against revealing a timeframe. 

Writing in The Guardian Australia, Ware singled out the harms of wagering online, saying: “The proliferation of online gambling has changed the nature of the old ‘gambling larrikinism’ of our character and culture. 

“Online gambling is antisocial. It is accessed through a phone and wagering service providers that have clever algorithms, AI and marketing tools to entice those who have a win or a loss to keep going. It can now be conducted with a couple of taps on a mobile phone.” 

Ware then went after online gambling adverts, adding: “The proliferation of online advertising has saturated our sports viewing. Young children are now subject to hearing about ‘odds’ rather than commentary about the game. 

“Australians are concerned about gambling harm. I have received hundreds of emails from my constituents imploring change to gambling advertising. Other MPs across the country have no doubt received similar pleas.”

She accused Albanese of missing an “opportunity to demonstrate strong leadership, moral courage and political conviction on a national social and health epidemic: the impact of online gambling on those experiencing gambling harm”.

Ware’s scathing assessment came a week before Australians turn their attention to the Melbourne Cup, the nation’s standout horseracing event.  

Taking place on 5 November, the race has inspired the Alliance for Gambling Reform to publicly urge both Labor and the opposition to “heed the recommendations” put forward in Murphy’s report. 

The organisation said: “The Alliance is now campaigning to ensure both the federal government and the opposition heed the recommendations of this inquiry including the banning of all gambling advertising and the banning of free bets and other inducements. 

“It’s a move that it critical if we are to save our children who are being targeted by gambling companies through social media, and the gambling industries connection with our major sporting codes.” 

Addressing the impact of the Melbourne Cup directly, the statement continued: “The Melbourne Cup is the race that famously stops the nation for a few minutes every year. 

“But we must now do more to stop the irresponsible and relentless promotion of gambling and the cynical use of inducements.” 

Albanese recently remained coy when asked whether a blanket gambling advert ban would be enforced any time soon, instead pointing to the impact poker and lotteries have in relation to gambling harm. 

Speaking ahead of last month’s AFL Grand Final, the PM explained: “Well, certainly what we want to do is to reduce the impact and the harm that gambling advertising is causing, and we’re taking action to do that.  

“Will [a blanket ban] solve the problem? The problem here is that sport gambling represents under 5% of the problem gambling issue.  

“Overwhelmingly, it’s about poker machines. Then it’s followed by lotteries and lotto tickets and those issues as well. So, I know that as much as anything else it can be annoying, the breaking up of ads, but we’re looking at a range of options.”