Open letter on the ban on gambling advertising in Australia with lots of celebrity support

In more and more countries around the world, advertising measures for gambling offers are being viewed increasingly critically. Now the debate is also boiling over in Australia: a number of former prime ministers and other public figures are pushing for a general ban on such promotions, which had actually already been agreed but was then watered down again.

Gambling advertising has been an ongoing topic in the (international) press and at GambleJoe for some time now. The fact that sports betting providers and online casinos are being advertised on an increasingly broad front and with ever more sophisticated tactics has been widely criticised by gambling addiction researchers, authorities and politicians as well as gamblers. Such clips, banners, competitions etc. are generally considered to have a strong impact, which is particularly critical for vulnerable groups such as problem gamblers or young people.

Down Under, a debate on the topic has been simmering for a long time. In general, Australians are considered to be downright crazy about gambling. As we explained in the article ‘Australia has a massive gambling problem’, nowhere else are there more slot machines - and unfortunately, nowhere else is more money lost per capita.

The ban on gambling advertising has been on the table for quite some time in this difficult context and was actually a done deal. However, it was rowed back. This in turn prompted a group of prominent Australians, including several former prime ministers, MPs and union leaders, to sign an open letter calling on the Australian government to ban all gambling promotions within three years.

This is what the open letter is all about

The letter published by the Alliance for Gambling Reform at the beginning of August is aimed at both the current government in Australia and the opposition. The signatories are calling for the adoption of ‘Murphy's law’, named after the late MP Peta Murphy, who chaired the federal enquiry into online gambling.

In response, more than 60 influential figures in Australia are calling for an approach in line with ‘Murphy's law’. Former Prime Ministers John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull have signed the letter. The former Prime Minister of New South Wales, Dominic Perrottet, and the former Prime Ministers of Victoria, Jeff Kennett and Steve Bracks, also support the demands. Other signatories include representatives from the worlds of sport, business, health, trade unions and faith, as well as academics, writers, social justice advocates and social service groups.

The signatories certainly have strong arguments

The managing director of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Martin Thomas, argues in the letter:

‘Australians lose $25 billion every year to gambling. But the real cost of inactivity is the increasing financial ruin, mental health problems, suicide and family violence that gambling can exacerbate.’

The amount and the corresponding consequences are not specifically documented. However, the latest available figures from the Australian report on gambling statistics actually indicate expenditure - not losses - of 24 billion dollars.

Thomas continues:

‘Children are being oversaturated with adverts and people who want to stop gambling are being drawn back in by exploitative and unethical incentives or promotions.’

In this context, it is noted that gambling advertising has ‘spiralled out of control’, particularly in the broadcasting of major sports. One million adverts are said to have been broadcast on free-to-air television and radio in one year. This figure comes from a Nielsen study commissioned by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

Despite the ban on online advertising, promotions are also said to occur regularly on social media channels, which are then often taken up by young people, who are the main target group of the media in question. Although these measures mainly originate from illegal providers, this does not make the matter any less critical.

Conclusion

Image source: Screenshot von https://www.agr.org.au/_files/ugd/f3b93a_ed6539ec31994bb3979163766d26c149.pdf