Gambling Reform Advocates Up Pressure In Marginal Seats

Gambling harm advocates are ramping up pressure on significant parties in limited seats as files expose a go-slow on government talks.


Paid posts comparing candidate stances on banning ads have targeted 3 key electorates: Gilmore in NSW, Brisbane in Queensland and Deakin in Victoria.


At least 20,000 voters in each seat have actually been reached ahead of the May 3 election, the Alliance for Gambling Reform says.


Labor has no public policy but has formerly drifted bans on gambling advertisements during live sports and hourly caps outside that, along with a social networks crackdown.


The coalition has proposed banning betting advertisements during sports broadcasts, including an hour either side of the games.


The Greens support a complete restriction in line with the recommendations from a landmark inquiry into betting harms chaired by a late Labor MP.


The anti-gambling alliance is increase spending in the Greens-held seat of Brisbane, which Labor and the Liberals are trying to win, along with in the Liberal-held north Queensland seat of Leichhardt.


The group has likewise targeted the Liberal-held local seat of Wannon in Victoria.


It's a relatively modest project, with the alliance costs just under $4200 on Facebook advertising in the month to April 25, according to openly available data.


"We are conscious there are a variety of MPs in the significant parties that have actually surpassed the policies of the party," the alliance's primary executive Martin Thomas informed AAP.


Communications Minister Michelle Rowland delayed launching betting reforms in late 2024, saying further consultations were needed.


Documents produced for the Senate program months of lobbying from betting companies in the lead-up to the draft policy being shelved.


A freedom of information request recommends a go-slow in the months later on, with no consultation reports prepared by the department considering that a 50-page summary in mid-September.


Consultation summaries were prepared for cabinet in July and October 2023 and in January and September 2024, according to a schedule of policy documents launched to AAP.


Outside data estimations and impact analysis in November 2024, absolutely nothing else was prepared for the minister by her department through to February, which was the time frame of the freedom of details demand.


The government took seriously its obligation to safeguard Australians from the damages of online gaming, Ms Rowland informed AAP.


She pointed to different actions including presenting a self-exclusion register and prohibiting credit cards.


There were private issues within Labor ranks about sporting codes and commercial TVs running an against the government if it went too hard on sports betting ads, which would affect their profits.


Labor's inactiveness drew scorn from independent MPs, who accused the federal government of kowtowing to vested interests.


The prime minister was putting gambling earnings ahead of the wellness of people, particularly youths, crossbench senator David Pocock informed AAP.