Reformists claim Australian PM using “distracting technique” over gambling ad ban

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been accused of using a “distracting technique” when discussing the nation’s potential ban on gambling adverts. 

Albanese has been under increasing pressure to implement a blanket ban on all gambling adverts, as requested by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.

However, reports have continued to claim Albanese favours a cap system, which would see no more than two gambling adverts per hour until 10pm.

The Albanese policy would also reportedly ban ads around children’s programming as well as a ban on digital marketing.

Murphy laid out her recommendations last August when she called for an end to all online wagering adverts on television, but no such rule has yet been passed by those in government. 

In turn, Alliance for Gambling Reform CEO Martin Thomas has expressed his concerns over what he believes is a change in tone from Albanese, who recently claimed that pokies and lotteries are causing more harm than sports betting. 

The prime minister has ramped up his attacks against lottery and pokies operators in recent weeks, which Thomas claimed is nothing more than a distraction.

“It’s a little bit of ‘look over here and not over here’, it seems to be a distracting technique,” Thomas told news agency the Australian Associated Press. 

“The fastest growing area of gambling, especially among young people, is online gambling and sports betting. A whole new generation is getting ensnared in gambling.” 

Thomas went on to bemoan the time it is taking Albanese to act, adding: “It’s taken too long; we constantly live in hope we’ll get a comprehensive response and not a watered down response.” 

The comments from the Alliance for Gambling Reform chief come soon after Michelle Rowland, communications minister for the Albanese government, reaffirmed Labor’s commitment to tackling gambling-related harm. 

Speaking to ABCTV, Rowland explained: “We’re looking at the most robust way in which we can make this effective and ensure those harms are minimised. 

“We’re also working very closely to ensure there are no unintended consequences here and it’s actually effective.” 

Earlier on this week, Rowland vowed Labor would outline its plans for gambling reform before the next election, which could come as soon as early 2025.  

However, when pressed for an update on whether the public could expect new legislation related to the issue, Rowland told reporters the government is “committed to responding in full to Peta Murphy’s inquiry, and to have a comprehensive response in this term”. 

Rowland’s sentiment echoed one previously shared by Albanese, who, when asked if a total gambling advert ban was in the pipeline, opted to point to the impact of  lotteries instead. 

Last month, Albanese said: “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 sports gambling represents under 5% of the problem gambling issue. 

“Overwhelmingly, it’s about pokie 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.”