Kate Chaney (Curtin, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

There's broad understanding that gambling, especially online gambling, does a lot of harm, but the data to back it up is actually astounding. As a country, we spend as much on gambling in a year as the federal government spends on social security and welfare. Australians have the highest gambling losses in the world, averaging nearly $1,300 a year each. At its extreme, gambling disorder is a medically identified behavioural addiction. It has a material effect on the brain's reward, prioritisation and stress symptoms. Some groups are more vulnerable: young people, men, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people with mental health conditions or substance abuse issues.

Due to the threefold increase in gambling advertising over the last decade, to $287 million, gambling is now completely normalised in every aspect of life through ever-present advertising. Kids are prepared for gambling through skin-betting sites, loot boxes and social casino games, which are often owned by gambling companies. But, despite its normalisation, losing money through gambling remains highly stigmatised. A number of constituents have told me their stories or their children's stories, but they've wanted to remain anonymous because of the shame.

There's broad community agreement that we have a problem. In mid-2022, a survey showed 71 per cent of Australians supported a ban on gambling ads. This support isn't partisan; it's well spread across voting intentions. I've had 50 constituents contacting me seeking action on this issue. Why is change so hard in this area if there is broad community support for better regulation? It all comes down to money and power. Foreign companies, sports codes, media and politicians all stand to benefit from the gambling industry, despite the social harm to the community. These powerful vested interests mean regulation is designed to serve the gambling industry, not to address community concerns.

Sophisticated foreign companies dominate the new online gambling market. They make huge profits by engaging in appalling predatory behaviours. Online gambling is particularly insidious because it is private and accessible 24/7. It creates a heightened sense of unreality. It's easy for companies to use your personal information against you. Through algorithmic decisions, spending opportunities are curated according to your vulnerabilities and how you play. If you try to stop, these companies lure you back with inducements. The media are captive, saying the sky will fall in if they lose their recently tripled gambling revenue, threatening the sustainability of local news and local content on television and radio. Sport is also captive to the gambling industry, relying on multiple, parallel income streams from advertising, sponsorship and bets themselves.

A few weeks ago I had a complaint from a constituent who, despite being 62, ticked the under-18 box on the AFL app so he wouldn't be served up gambling ads. Despite this, he is still bombarded with them.

Politicians from the major parties happily accepted $1.7 million in donations from gambling companies last year. This included a $19,000 Sportsbet donation slipping under the radar to the current Minister for Communications, who is responsible for regulating this area.

As a result of these vested interests at every level, regulation is messy and inconsistent, with multiple self-regulating industry bodies creating an inadequate patchwork, with confusing holes and gambling providers flocking to the Northern Territory in a race to the bottom.

The regulatory approach focuses on personal responsibility, blaming vulnerable victims who are subject to sophisticated predatory behaviour. I heard from one gambler who'd self-excluded from 100 sites and was still sent promotional offers.

In this context, I issue a challenge to the federal government: gambling must be regulated as a public health issue. You will need to be bold. Minor reductions in advertising are unlikely to be successful. The opposition's recent support for banning ads during free-to-air sports broadcasts is the very minimum. We need to go further into online ads and other types of promotion, otherwise the ads just shift. Partial bans have at best partial results. We need a nationally consistent approach.

After years of advocacy from the crossbench, the House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, which I am a member of, will complete its inquiry into online gambling shortly and make recommendations. Then, our communities will watch to see if government will be brave and act in the public interest. (Time expired)

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