1000 days later: Albanese government unveils ‘scaled-back’ gambling reforms

More than 1000 days after a landmark parliamentary inquiry into gambling harm called for urgent reform, the Albanese government has responded by unveiling a scaled-back package that has drawn fire from both anti-gambling campaigners and the betting industry.

The long-awaited response to the You win some, you lose more report, chaired by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy and released in June 2023, was tabled in parliament on Tuesday while the majority of Canberra’s political journalists were locked away for several hours under budget day embargo.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his government’s approach to the issue, saying it sought to balance protecting children from gambling advertising with preserving adults’ freedom to bet.

But the government stopped well short of adopting the inquiry’s full suite of recommendations, instead relying on measures already signalled last month and shifting significant responsibility to the states in an eight-page response.

“The government notes the 31 recommendations made by the Committee,” the response said. “A number of recommendations made by the committee relate to policy within the responsibility of states and territories. The Australian government calls on states and territories to examine the recommendations of the committee and respond accordingly.”

The package includes an opt-in model for online gambling advertising, tighter limits on radio ads during school pick-up hours, bans on celebrities and sports stars in betting promotions, and restrictions on gambling branding at stadiums and on player uniforms.

Despite the changes, wagering firms will still be allowed to run up to three gambling ads an hour between 6am and 8.30pm, with no cap overnight.

Anti-gambling advocates said the response fell short of the scale of harm identified by the inquiry, warning children would remain exposed through digital platforms and gaming environments.

The chief executive of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Martin Thomas, said the reforms would not stop children being targeted online, pointing to the growing reach of betting content across social media and gaming apps.

“The evidence shows that underage kids as young as 14 are being targeted through social media to download gambling apps, and betting ads are appearing in children’s games and increasingly popular online games are including gambling-type functions,” he said.

Long-time anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello described the package as “timid” and criticised the reliance on an opt-in system for advertising exposure.

Opposition communications spokeswoman, Sarah Henderson, said the government’s decision to bury its response to the Murphy report on budget day showed “contempt for thousands of Australian families torn apart by gambling addiction”.

“After spending more than 1000 days delaying, denying, and deflecting, the response reads like government talking points full of spin and bluster,” she said.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said the government had effectively abandoned the unanimous recommendations of the Murphy inquiry, accusing it of prioritising the interests of gambling companies, media organisations and major sporting codes including the Australian Football League and National Rugby League.

“The Murphy report was cross-party and unanimous,” he said, arguing the findings demanded full implementation rather than partial adoption.

Wilkie said the response was “shameful behaviour” and called for a national regulator and a full advertising ban.

The betting industry has also attacked the package, saying it was developed without proper consultation.

Responsible Wagering Australia chief executive Kai Cantwell warned last month some the measures would drive punters toward unregulated offshore operators, stripping away consumer protections while undermining local jobs and funding for sport and racing.

“If the licensed market is overregulated, Australians won’t stop gambling. They will go offshore to operators,” he said.

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