Report: Australian ad changes could arrive soon following the Green Party’s concession

Australian Green Party Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has reportedly agreed to Labor’s gambling ad proposals to action change ahead of the next general election in a major concession from the left-winger.

The late Labor MP Peta Murphy had recommended a blanket ban on gambling ads in a 2023 report, although little movement has been made Down Under on the issue.

A total ad ban has since been met with resistance from Murphy’s own party, with the Albanese government rumoured to favour a cap system, which would place a limit on the number of ads shown per hour to two until 10pm.

The proposals also included a ban on online gambling ads and across children’s programming.

Speaking to online news outlet the Daily Aus on 3 February, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected claims that gambling ad legislation had been shelved, instead saying the government was considering several measures.

As per the Guardian Australia, Hanson-Young has sent a letter to communications minister Michelle Rowland in which she offered concessions on the hoped-for full ban to bring change to the market before May’s proposed general election.

The Greens’ refreshed bill would include the aforementioned cap system, banning online ads, no marketing during children’s programming or during live sports broadcasts and an hour before and after the event.

The refresh would go further than Labor, however, with the inclusion of a ban on ads in sporting venues or on teams’ jerseys.

The letter read: “Like many in the community, we feel frustrated that even a limited reform package from the government has not been released or put to the parliament for consideration. However, all hope is not lost for reform before this year’s election.

“I believe much of these measures are those which you have previously raised with me as matters you could support.

“I also believe stakeholders who have been desperate for action will see this as a step forward and a compromise worth taking. Some progress towards a full ban is better than nothing,” it added.

Speaking on the Daily Aus podcast, Albanese said: “We have taken more action on problem gambling than any government in history.

“We’ve introduced BetStop, which has helped people substantially. We’ve banned the use of credit cards online as well, which was a big issue of sport gambling.

“There’s more to do, but in this term, we have done more, as I’ve said, than any government in history previously.”

However, when it was highlighted again that the changes made had done little to curb the losses Australian’s have endured due to gambling, the prime minister was left reiterating what he had previously said.

He responded: “Yes, and there are no ads for poker machine gambling, which is overwhelmingly where losses are. So the link between the two things is not a simple one.

“As I said, we have done a range of measures in place. We accept that there’s more to do, and we will do more.”

PointsBet CEO Sam Swanell said last week that he did not expect any regulatory changes to be introduced before the next general election.