The Federal Government: Diet investigation For online gambling.
Last year, an inquiry led by the late Labour MP Peta Murphy recommended that gambling advertising be phased out over three years, eventually leading to a total ban.
but, Reports The government is likely to impose only a partial ban, which could see gambling removed from social media and advertising banned within an hour before and after sports matches.
How effective would a partial ban be? History shows that it may not be enough.
Advertising normalizes gambling
Advertising is a one-way industry Normalize Harmful products, such as gambling, and marketing, such as sponsorships, celebrity endorsements, and charitable donations.
Similar tactics are employed in the alcohol, tobacco and gambling industries.
The impact on young people is enormous. Numerous studies have shown that tobacco advertising Prevalence of smokingSimilar studies have shown that young people exposed to gambling marketing: Taking up gambling and suffering harm from it.
Most parents are aware of this, which is why many Australians At least 70% – We are against gambling advertising.
investigation
Murphy launched his investigation into online gambling in September 2022. The committee expressed concern About “online gambling platforms becoming increasingly prevalent in Australian lives” and particularly the impact they have on children and young people.
When its report was published in June 2023, the committee, representing all political parties and the crossbench, 31 Recommendations.
This included four steps to gradually phase out gambling advertising altogether.
The advertising restrictions will begin immediately and be rolled out over a three-year period. Restrictions on online advertising will be introduced alongside the radio and stadium restrictions. For example, in the first phase, commercial radio advertising will be banned during school pick-up and drop-off times. In the second phase, advertising will be banned one hour before or after live sporting events.
Murphy’s reforms would also ban gambling signage at stadiums and logos on sports uniforms.
Incentives such as offering “free funds” to account holders to encourage betting would be banned.
The final stage will be total, banning all advertising and sponsorship by gambling organisations.
It is not yet clear which parts of the commission’s advertising recommendations the government will approve, but if it chooses to only partially adopt some parts of the recommendations it would leave a major loophole for gambling advertising to continue.
Lucio Parmeggiani/Shutterstock
Do partial bans work? Lessons from tobacco
History has shown us that wherever there is an opportunity to promote their products, harmful commodity industries will take advantage.
Tobacco companies It was this strategy that was adopted until the government put a stop to it by introducing a comprehensive ban on advertising, sponsorship and marketing.
In Australia, the initial response to the perceived harms of tobacco focused on a unified campaign to ban broadcast advertising, and between 1973 and 1976 tobacco advertising was gradually phased out.
But the tobacco industry Continued to pursue Incidental advertising – such as advertising in sports stadiums or on players’ uniforms.
Denormalization The key to successful tobacco harm reduction campaigns has been tobacco restriction and prohibition. advertisementsponsorships and other marketing efforts, as well as restrictions on where tobacco can be consumed.
The lesson from tobacco makes it clear that if the Murphy recommendations are only partially adopted, the gambling industry will increase its spending on everything that is permitted.
Do sports rules require money?
Sports regulations and broadcaster backlash recall A time when tobacco advertising was restricted.
Sports Code Several including the AFL and NRL Media companies – They claim that gambling will make the sky fall. Reduced revenue.
Broadcasters sell premium advertising time during popular sports broadcasts and pay premium fees to sports organizations for the rights.
But sports rules and broadcasters did not collapse when tobacco advertising was restricted – they are unlikely to collapse with a gambling advertising ban – and Murphy’s recommendations address these concerns through their proposed phase-in.
Advertising bans have been effective in other countries too. In Spain, Gambling regulators The advertising ban has reportedly had no dire consequences for broadcasters or sports teams.
Gambling advertising is also banned in Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. Broadcast advertising is banned in Germany. Celebrity endorsements are banned in the United States. Netherlands and Canada.
Where to go from here
Reports about the government’s intentions may be incorrect. Still in discussion We expect to make an announcement in the coming weeks. Certainly, the recommendations of the Murphy Report need to be seriously considered.
It is not yet clear how the government intends to address the other 30 recommendations contained in the report, which argue:
- National Online Gambling Regulatory Agency
- More research funding and access to anonymized gambling data
- International agreement to regulate online gambling.
“GamblingThe video game “” is also recommended.
Adopting some of the recommendations alone will not be enough to stop the promotion of gambling and will continue to expose young people to gambling. Destroying lives harm.
If you’ve encountered any issues with this article or are concerned about someone you know, visit https://gamblershelp.com.au/get-help/ or call 1800 858 858.
