All advertising for online gambling should be phased out within three years, a parliamentary inquiry into gambling reform has recommended.
The inquiry, chaired by Labor MP Peta Murphy, has handed down its report that includes 31 recommendations to the government to reduce online gambling harm, applying a public health lens to the issue.
The report recommends a plan to phase out online gambling ads over a period of three years, with an eventual ban across all media forms. The first stage of the plan includes a ban on commercial radio during school pick up and drop off times, and during all news and current affairs broadcasts.
The second phase would include the prohibition of online gambling advertising and commentary on odds, during an hour either side of a sports broadcast, as well as restrictions on in-stadium ads.
A ban on ads between 6am and 10pm would then be introduced, and would be followed by a total prohibition by the end of the three-year period.
One of the other key recommendations from the inquiry is that the responsibility for online gambling harm reduction would be held by a single federal government minister.
Peta Murphy said the committee’s report has unanimous support from its members.
“I am proud to say this Committee has delivered a unanimous report that says, ‘enough is enough’,” she said in the foreward of the report.
“The Committee has made 31 recommendations that apply a public health lens to online gambling to reduce harm across the whole Australian population.”
Murphy said Australians do not like being “flooded by messages and inducements to gamble online” and are worried about the effect it has on on children and young people.
“Most believe that gambling is harmful for society and that it has become too easy to gamble in Australia,” Murphy said.
“Online gambling is unlike other forms of entertainment because of its potential to cause psychological, health, relationship, legal and financial harm to individuals and those around them, and tragically, gambling is a key risk factor for suicide. A person’s gambling can progress to the behavioural addiction of gambling disorder, which is like addictions to substances.
“There are currently few safeguards to protect people with gambling disorder from online gambling harm, and many find it difficult to ask for help because the stigma associated with harm from gambling is silencing.”
The report highlights that Australians outspend those from every other country on online gambling, and it is “wreaking havoc” in communities.
“Saturation advertising ensures our future losses. Only online wagering service providers (WSPs), major sporting organisations and media gain from the status quo.”