Almost no one is satisfied with the federal government's gambling crackdown, as crossbenchers, the Coalition, and even Labor's own base express disappointment. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faces mounting pressure to adopt stronger measures against gambling harm, particularly as betting and gambling inducements become increasingly intertwined with sports.
NSW Labor conference highlights pokies reform push
At the New South Wales Labor state conference, Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne is leading a push to remove at least 45,000 poker machines from venues across the state over the next decade. Byrne, who is widely expected to contest the federal seat of Grayndler when Albanese leaves parliament, has challenged the party to confront gambling addiction head-on. A factional deal between left and right powerbrokers supporting the plan has created a political headache for the Minns government.
Conference policy documents reveal that NSW holds nearly half of Australia's poker machines. At current rates, it would take 55 years to reduce the number to the national average. In the three months to June alone, punters in NSW lost $2.3 billion playing pokies.
Federal gambling ad reforms criticized as insufficient
Communications Minister Anika Wells introduced new legislation this week to restrict gambling advertising, which Albanese touted as the strongest-ever suite of laws. However, reform advocates have criticized the plan as inadequate. The laws are part of the federal response to the late Labor MP Peta Murphy's 2023 inquiry into online gambling harms, which recommended a total ban on all forms of online gambling advertising over three years.
Murphy's proposed phase-in plan included an immediate ban on online gambling inducements and ads on social media, followed by bans during live sports broadcasts and a 6am-to-10pm advertising blackout. The final phase would have permanently prohibited all online gambling advertising and sponsorship. The report also called for a national online gambling regulator to reduce community harm.
Instead, Labor's plan restricts TV gambling ads to no more than three per hour between 6am and 8.30pm, bans ads during live sport in that period, and requires online users to be over 18 with opt-out mechanisms. Celebrity endorsements and ads inside sporting venues and on uniforms would also stop. The changes are due to take effect from 1 January next year, subject to a Senate inquiry expected to report in August.
Albanese defends proposals amid confusion
On Friday, Albanese sparked confusion by claiming the legislation in some ways "goes further" than the Murphy report, citing restrictions on overseas-based gambling services, online keno, and foreign matched lotteries. A separate bill strengthens the BetStop self-exclusion system for problem gamblers. Albanese told ABC radio, "I'm not against someone having a punt on a Saturday. What I'm against is problem gambling, which overwhelmingly, by the way, is poker machines, which is of course regulated by the states."
The comments have done little to quell criticism. The Coalition, Greens, and crossbenchers say the changes are too weak. Liberal MP Simon Kennedy was ejected from question time on Thursday after challenging Albanese about Australians taking their own lives due to gambling addiction. About half a dozen Liberal MPs have urged tougher laws, and shadow communications minister Sarah Henderson called the bill "undercooked."
Advocates call for full implementation of Murphy report
ACT independent David Pocock accused Labor of delivering for the gambling lobby at the expense of children, echoing reform advocate Tim Costello. Costello criticized NRL chair Peter V'landys and former AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, now Tabcorp boss, for having "presided over the capture of a generation by foreign betting companies." He noted Australia's total gambling losses now exceed $31.5 billion annually, with the AFL and NRL each receiving over $50 million yearly from betting partnerships.
With political pressure mounting, including from within Labor, Albanese and Wells are urged to adopt the full Murphy report recommendations. As the government pursues budget savings from the NDIS and tax changes for family trusts, dropping resistance to tougher gambling laws could ease one policy fight. Growing community sentiment reflects concern about an avoidable harm to future generations who increasingly cannot imagine sport without betting odds and inducements. Saturday's NSW Labor conference, led by Byrne's push, may be a meaningful step in addressing poker machine harm, offering inspiration for federal Labor to take stronger action.
