Upper House Pushing Labor On 'secret' Gambling Ads Plan

The federal government is about to be required to launch a draft reaction to a landmark gambling reform report, which has been left untouched for more than two years.


Communications Minister Anika Wells, who got the portfolio after Labor's May 3 election win, has flagged upcoming modifications to gambling marketing.


Her first meeting beyond department briefings was with Rod Glover, the spouse of late Labor MP Peta Murphy, who championed a ban on betting ads.


A draft response by the interactions department to the "you win some, you lose more" report handed down by a bipartisan parliamentary committee was prepared for the previous minister in November 2024.


But the department declined to release the 32-page file under freedom of info laws.


The Murphy report's key recommendation was to phase out gambling advertising on television and online, which got consentaneous support from Labor, coalition and crossbench MPs on the committee.


Labor's draft policy, which was never ever officially launched however informed to stakeholders in mid-2024, included prohibiting betting advertisements during, before and after live sports broadcasts and limiting them to two an hour outside of that criterion.


Independent senator David Pocock is pressing to have the draft suggestions and ministerial instructions launched under a Senate order for the production of files, after liberty of information demands were similarly rejected.


The Liberals and the Greens have actually given their support, meaning his order is set to pass the Senate on Wednesday, offering Labor until completion of the month to comply or explain why they will continue to keep the files secret.


A third order requests correspondence between the prime minister and betting sector agents and lobbying efforts from sporting codes after he stepped in to shelve any action before the election.


Labor's inactiveness was "among the biggest failures of the last parliament and a wrong I hope we can right this time", Senator Pocock informed AAP.


Reform supporters are eager to find a happy medium, arguing the longer the status quo goes on, the more people are being hurt as there are couple of constraints on betting marketing.


While stakeholders are pressing for a blanket ban, there is an openness to jeopardize on restricting when wagering ads can be broadcast on live TV.


They're also pressing hard for a complete marketing ban on social networks and on inducements, which is when gambling companies attract people to bet more by using rewards such as reward bets.


But the gambling lobby is strongly against a blanket social networks restriction, rather stating innovation could be utilized to avoid targeting children.


The sector is likewise opposed to .


There is a willingness to go over stopping broad incentive advertising, however betting business wish to retain the right to press marketing to individuals signed up to their platforms.


The Murphy review advised that the government immediately restrict online betting incentives and their advertising.


Commercial broadcasters and sports codes argued they needed marketing income to remain practical, while gambling companies cautioned a blanket ban would push Australians into utilizing prohibited overseas wagering websites.


The AFL and NRL get 10s of millions of dollars a year as a cut from gambling firms.


Some advocates are hopeful there will be an announcement on the next actions before the end of the year, with the federal government yet to react to the landmark report 25 months after it was handed down.