Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has struck a deal with the Opposition that will mean amendments are made to the country’s gambling laws, per reports.
While the exact terms of the deal are yet to be confirmed, it is believed the changes will affect inducements such as sign-up bonuses, the targeting of gambling marketing and reducing its exposure among children.
In quotes obtained by The Guardian, Albanese told the Labor caucus the amendments will be “the strongest anti-gambling legislation that Australia has ever seen”.
He added that legislation will be presented to the House or Representatives as the week progresses, with a Coalition meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 11 August, when parliament resumes.
The potential changes come on the back of a national inquiry which involved testimony from former National Rugby League player Luke Bateman and gambling reform campaigner Tim Costello, who alleged VIP managers at gambling companies supplied drugs, alcohol and sex workers to problem gamblers to encourage them to continue betting.
Commenting on the alleged evidence when he appeared on ABC Radio National on Monday, 10 August, Mark Butler, minister for health and ageing, said it was “pretty shocking” and that there had been “good discussions” between the Labor government and opposition parties about incoming changes, as well as progress regarding late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s 31-point recommendation plan in 2023.
“We were taking action during those 1,000 days – more action than previous federal government had ever taken – action targeted particularly at problem gambling, at gambling harm,” Butler pointed out.
“You see that in the ads on TV. You’ll see that in the [national self-exclusion] BetStop system that has been put in place, and [it is] much more robust now.
“It’s not as if we were sitting on our hands. We were putting in place very significant protections against gambling harm, but at the same time thinking through what a balanced response to the broader recommendations – the more ambitious recommendations from that inquiry report – would look like, [while] taking into account the need to maintain a robust sporting system, broadcaster interests, while also always keeping an eye on the protection against gambling harm.
“I think this package has achieved that balance.”
In April, Albanese’s government unveiled gambling reforms due to come into effect from 1 January 2027 that include TV gambling ads restricted to no more than three per hour between 6am and 8.30pm, a complete ad ban during live sport broadcasts, and the strengthening of BetStop.
The time it has taken to implement the Murphy Report from 2023 has drawn criticism, including from the Alliance for Gambling Reform and a number of Labor MPs who argue what has been implemented so far falls short of her recommendations.
Speaking in July, Costello said the reforms “as a whole do nowhere near what the Murphy Report into online gambling recommended” and what had been proposed was “a mere shadow or smokescreen”.
The post Report: Australia to amend gambling laws to include a clampdown on sign-up bonuses first appeared on EGR Intel.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese informs Labor caucus the changes will lead to the “strongest anti-gambling legislation that Australia has ever seen”
The post Report: Australia to amend gambling laws to include a clampdown on sign-up bonuses first appeared on EGR Intel.