A new investigation showing that hundreds of gamblers were able to keep using online betting accounts after placing themselves on a self-exclusion register has sharpened criticism of the Albanese government’s gambling reform agenda, with advocates warning the proposed changes fall well short of what is needed.
The government is set to introduce legislation aimed at reducing gambling harm, including fewer gambling advertisements across media, no betting ads during television broadcasts, a ban on so-called “pocket pokies”, and improved access to financial counselling. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the package was designed to strike a balance between allowing adults to gamble if they choose while protecting children from constant exposure to betting promotion. He said the government did not want children growing up believing that sport and gambling were inseparable.
However, the reforms have disappointed advocates and crossbench MPs who had hoped for stronger action, particularly after a Labor-led parliamentary committee recommended more substantial changes more than 1000 days ago. Independent Curtin MP Kate Chaney was strongly critical of the government’s approach, arguing that the proposed measures did not match the scale of the evidence or the harm being caused.
“The evidence shows that partial ad bans don't work,” she said.
“The prime minister's comments on gambling reform are consistent with a government that does the bare minimum - tinkering around the edges of meaningful reform.”
Chaney also linked the need for stronger national reform to recent findings against Entain, the parent company of Ladbrokes and Neds. An Australian Communications and Media Authority investigation found more than 500 breaches of national self-exclusion rules. The regulator found Entain had opened accounts, allowed bets, failed to close accounts for people who had registered for self-exclusion, and continued sending them promotional texts and emails encouraging them to gamble.
The authority’s Carolyn Lidgerwood said self-exclusion should mean there is no way for people to open new accounts with licensed wagering services in Australia. Entain acknowledged fault and has been required to address the problems, but Chaney said the absence of a fine or stronger punishment exposed the weakness of the current regulatory system. She argued the case demonstrated the need for a “national gambling regulator with teeth”.
It remains unclear whether the government’s legislation will include stronger regulatory changes of that kind. Meanwhile, the gambling industry is pushing for consultation before the reforms begin in January. Responsible Wagering Australia chief executive Kai Cantwell said the $6 billion industry viewed the proposed changes as a “kick in the guts”.
The article frames the government’s package as an attempt to curb gambling harm while avoiding a full-scale confrontation with the betting industry. For Chaney and other reform advocates, however, the Entain breaches show that partial advertising restrictions and limited changes are unlikely to be enough without stronger enforcement, tougher penalties and a national regulator able to act decisively.