Australia PM: Lottery adverts are “a far bigger problem than sports gambling”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has questioned why there haven’t been calls for a ban on lottery adverts given they are a “a far bigger problem than sports gambling” ads.

Albanese is under increasing pressure Down Under, with the Labor government edging towards a softer alternative to the late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s proposal for a total ban on gambling adverts.

Instead, reports have claimed Albanese favours a cap system that would see no more than two gambling adverts per hour on each channel until 10pm, alongside a total ban one hour before and after all live sport.

The plan does still impose a blanket ban on all gambling advertisements on social media and other digital platforms.

However, the response to such an idea has been largely negative and Albanese’s latest stance on the debate suggest he is in no mood to consider backing down on his government’s proposal.

Speaking to Patricia Karvelas on ABC Radio National’s breakfast show, Albanese was pressed for comment on whether he is “prepared to be brave” and go against the wishes of the advertising and media industries to impose a blanket ban.

“It’s not a matter of doing something in order to satisfy a perception of boldness,” the Prime Minister explained, before his answer was cut short as Karvelas claimed that a blanket ban is a better policy, according to experts.

“Well, they don’t all say that at all,” Albanese replied. “The experts say that the problem here with this debate, Patricia, is the problem isn’t advertising. The problem is gambling. That’s the problem. 

“And when you look at what the fact is that, overwhelmingly, almost 70% of problem gambling is about poker machines, an additional 15% is about lotteries and lottos. I haven’t seen a campaign about advertising in lotteries and Lotto, which is a far bigger problem than sports gambling.”

Research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data suggests 64% of Australian adults participated in lotteries and scratchcards in 2022.

That total dwarfs the 38% of Australian adults who gambled on horseracing and the 33% who placed wagers on sports.

After conceding that he finds sports gambling adverts “annoying”, Albanese continued by insisting that it is vital his government gets the policy correct.

He also quashed the theory that a blanket ban would be the best option.

“Sometimes things that are characterised as being bold are actually the easy options,” he added. 

“The easy option is just to do that, not worry about the consequences for sporting codes, junior sport, all of that. Not worry about the consequences for media, but to do what lobby groups want you to do.”

Albanese brought an end to the topic by outlining that his government are in communication with all relevant groups and is confident that Labor will eventually implement a policy that will “make a positive difference”.

His comments have sparked a strong response from key opposition figures such as Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who claimed that the Labor leader “doesn’t have the guts to act”.

“The single most important thing we should do is stop the gambling industry from being able to advertise, just like we’ve done with tobacco, and just like we do on other issues,” Hanson-Young told reporters.

“If the prime minister cares about community sport, he should fund community sport – hiding behind limp excuses created and parroted by the gambling lobby is not leadership.”

Albanese is also facing pressure from the Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Reverend Tim Costello after the reformist took umbrage with the prime minister labelling him a prohibitionist.

Speaking in parliament last week, the prime minister claimed lobbyists want to bring an end to gambling as a whole, with Costello calling for urgent talks to reset perceptions in the debate.