Report: Australian government considering in-stadium ad ban to appease backbenchers
Labor rumoured to be exploring idea of banning perimeter ads, but reformists have insisted the move will still leave people at risk from gambling-related harms
Australia’s Labor government is mulling over a potential ban on in-stadium LED perimeter gambling adverts, according to local reports.
The ABC reported that the federal government told gambling reform groups it “wants” to ban in-stadia adverts during AFL and NRL games.
The move has been suggested as an appeasement to some Labor backbenchers who want a blanket ban on all gambling adverts, as recommended by the late MP Peta Murphy in her 2023 report.
In-stadium gambling adverts have come under fire in recent weeks, most notably from Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello, who dubbed them “particularly offensive”.
The ABC also noted that communications minister Michelle Rowland was reportedly weighing up a new code that would force teams to remove betting logos from all jerseys.
However, for either of those policy changes to come into effect, Labor would need to reach an agreement with multiple state and territory governments.
In the NRL, 13 of the 17 clubs have some form of betting partner, although not all the clubs sport a gambling sponsor logo on their jerseys.
Speaking to the ABC, Costello claimed that Rowland’s efforts to remove gambling sponsorship from sports jerseys shows that “she understands the risk of grooming children”.
“I do think Michelle has been really trying to implement the full Murphy report. I suspect the problem is not her, but coming from higher up,” he said.
“If you want to protect children you have to have a total ban. Every ad influences them to become a gambler.”
Last month, the relationship between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government and both the AFL and NRL was called into question after documents between the groups were labelled “pandering” after being revealed in the country’s parliament.
The dossier, which was brought in front of parliament by Senator David Pocock, showed emails between the PM’s office and representatives of various pro-industry parties to arrange meetings.
The debate on banning gambling adverts continues to rumble on in Australia. Albanese was recently berated by Liberal Party MP Jenny Ware for failing to show “strong leadership, moral courage and political conviction”.
Ware, who represents the New South Wales constituency of Hughes, accused the Albanese administration of dragging its heels when it came to tackling any of the 31 recommendations raised in Murphy’s report.
Albanese was recently pressed for an update, but remained coy when asked if a blanket ban on gambling adverts would be implemented any time soon, instead choosing to divert attention to the impact of poker and lotteries.
Speaking ahead of September’s AFL Grand Final, he 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.”