Opponents of a gambling advertisements ban are reportedly advocating for Australia’s federal government to consider age verification methods to prevent minors from accessing sports betting content.
Australia has been cracking down on gambling advertising in the country amidst a reported uptick in addictions. Last month, ReadWrite reported that the Alliance for Gambling Reform issued an open letter saying the country had a “gambling addiction.” The 60 signatories included former prime ministers John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull, who stated that it had led to “$25 billion in annual losses.”
On Sunday (Sept. 22), the government then rolled out new changes to how video games are classified to crack down on gambling-like content within games.
Age verification vs gambling ads ban in Australia
However, Guardian Australia reports that some gambling sources have said age verification technology, combined with frequency caps for online ads, could be used for betting content instead of a blanket advertising ban.
Speaking about a 2023 report about the proposal, a spokesperson for Communications Minister Michelle Rowland told Crikey: “The government is closely considering all 31 recommendations from the final report of the online gambling inquiry and will release a comprehensive response in due course.”
However, the chief advocate of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Tim Costello, wrote on X that while anti-gambling legislation would produce “similarly huge benefits as have the banning of ads promoting alcohol and cigarette smoking,” the Albanese government may not be going far enough. He added: “It is time that federal parliament passed tough new laws banning any advertisements promoting gambling on television and all other media.”
Ban on gambling ads is overdue
Despite the alarmist claims of Communications Minister Michelle Rowland ("Gambling ad ban risks boom in offshore sites", September 19), there is no evidence that when a nation bans advertisements promoting gambling… pic.twitter.com/sSDldWDymR
— Alliance for Gambling Reform (@ReformGambling) September 24, 2024
Will gambling ads ban cause further issues?
Kai Cantwell, Responsible Wagering Australia’s CEO, which represents companies like bet365, Sportsbet, and Pointsbet, has previously supported practical, evidence-based solutions, including opt-out provisions and stricter age verification requirements.
In a statement issued earlier this month, Cantwell said: “It will be a missed opportunity if the Government fails to leverage sophisticated online platform technologies that can ensure that gambling advertisements are shown only to users who are logged in, have verified that they are over 18 years old, and have the option to opt out of receiving such ads.”
He added: “This approach would protect kids and vulnerable Australians, without creating severe unintended consequences.”
Cantwell acknowledged that banning online advertising will not stop Australians’ gambling, however, he claimed it will push Australians “towards illegal offshore providers, who lure customers in with large bonuses and then don’t pay out winnings or provide their customers with any safer gambling tools.”
On Tuesday (Sept. 24), Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised doubts about whether a total ban on advertisements would adequately address the issue, pointing out that the government is exploring various options.
He also signaled plans to strengthen regulations around the self-exclusion program, BetStop, following reports that problem gamblers were exploiting loopholes to continue betting despite being registered. Rowland’s office confirmed that a statutory review of BetStop would soon begin to evaluate its effectiveness.
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