Lisa Darmanin (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

DARMANIN () (): Thank you, Acting Deputy President, for the opportunity to speak today about an issue that affects countless Australian families—online gambling and the need for meaningful reforms to protect our community, particularly young people, from its harms. The Albanese government does take very seriously our responsibility to protect Australians from the dangers of online gambling. We recognise that gambling addiction can devastate individuals, families and entire communities. We are committed to ensuring that Australians, especially young people, are not bombarded with harmful advertising and are better supported to make informed choices.

The government has repeatedly made clear the status quo of online wagering advertising is untenable and that reform is needed. We are committed to reducing harms from online gambling, which is why we have already delivered numerous reforms in this term of government and will continue to work with a broad range of stakeholders to develop and implement further reforms. We want to get them right, to deliver harm prevention, harm reduction and cultural change. As a responsible government, we are taking the time to work through options carefully to ensure they will be effective, robust and not have detrimental unintended consequences.

We know that Australia has the highest per capita gambling losses in the world, with Australians losing more than $31 billion to gambling every year. This is a staggering figure, one that highlights the deep entrenchment of gambling in our society and the need for reform. It is absolutely critical, though, that we get this right, because we know that poorly designed policies lead to poor outcomes that do not achieve the intended objectives. We only have to look back to 2018 to see an example of this. The coalition's so-called reforms from 2018 resulted in an explosion of online gambling advertising. Their current policy of only restricting online gambling ads around live sport would also see ads increase elsewhere, like family TV programs and online, and would likely repeat history by simply shifting ads away from live sport onto other platforms, increasing exposure to gambling promotions in family friendly spaces, such as TV programming and digital media.

Gambling advertising has become ubiquitous and it is time for decisive action. I've seen firsthand just how pervasive gambling advertising has become. My own children are already more aware of these ads not just from watching sports on TV but through online games and other digital platforms. They can name betting companies, recall their slogans and even explain the odds, all without ever having placed a bet. This is not because we talk about gambling at home but because the industry has found ways to infiltrate the online spaces where kids spend some of their time. When gambling messages appear in games, on social media and in videos they watch, our children are being conditioned to see betting as normal and even inevitable. This is why we must take decisive action to protect young Australians from being targeted by an industry that thrives on addiction and loss. When children and young people are watching a sporting match, they should not be bombarded with messages that normalise betting as part of the game. When children and young people are playing Roblox or other games, they shouldn't be bombarded with messaging that normalising betting as part of the game. The influence of gambling companies has grown exponentially, and their targeted ads often reach those who are most vulnerable—young Australians, problem gamblers and individuals attempting to recover from addiction. This saturation of advertising not only contributes to gambling addiction but also shapes a culture where betting is seen as an essential part of sport and spectatorship. Australia has the highest gambling losses per adult, with a total of $25 billion in losses per annum. Online gambling is growing in Australia due to easier and faster access through mobile devices and a proliferation of online gambling applications.

So, yes, action is required. That is why our government is focused on doing this properly—on designing reforms that genuinely reduce harm and create lasting cultural change. Since being elected less than three years ago, this government has delivered more harm reduction measures for online gambling than the previous government did in an entire decade, quite the opposite to what Senator Henderson would have you believe, suggesting earlier that this government has done nothing. As Senator Grogan outlined, some of the things this government has done include banning the use of credit cards for online gambling, because people should not be able to gamble with money that they don't have; establishing mandatory customer identification verification for online wagering to prevent children and individuals who have self-excluded from placing bets; strengthening classification of gambling-like features in video games to better protect children from being exposed to gambling behaviours from a young age; implementing monthly activity statements so Australians who gamble online can clearly see their wins and losses each month, helping them to make informed decisions; introducing new evidence based tag lines with stronger messages about the risk and harms of online gambling; and launching the national exclusion register, BetStop, which has been used more than 37,000 times by Australians in the past 18 months to voluntarily exclude themselves from online gambling services. This is not doing nothing, and these are significant steps forward, but we absolutely know that there is more work to do, and we want to do it properly.

One of the most pressing concerns is the pervasiveness of online gambling advertising, particularly its saturation during live sports broadcasting. Sports is part of the Australian identity. Every Australian wants to enjoy sport, from grassroots competitions to the professional leagues, without being bombarded by gambling ads. Parents should be able to sit down with their children and watch their favourite team without the constant reminder of sports betting.

To address this, our government is working through the 31 recommendations from the parliamentary inquiry into online gambling, which include key recommendations on advertising. We have been consulting widely on a proposed model to reduce online gambling advertising, and through this process we have uncovered additional complexities that must be carefully considered. The proposed model aims to break the deep connection between wagering and sport, to minimise children's exposure to online wagering advertisements and to tackle the oversaturation and targeting of these ads.

Importantly, we are looking beyond just traditional media. We must consider all the ways in which gambling advertising reaches Australians, through television and radio, yes, but also through digital platforms and social media, where ads can be microtargeted to vulnerable people, including those who have already struggled with gambling addiction. In today's digital landscape, gambling companies have more tools than ever before to target their advertisements with precision. Algorithms and big data allow companies to identify and reach individuals based on online activity, including previous gambling habits. We must ensure that any reforms we introduce address this growing concern. The ease of gambling platforms combined with the constant barrage of advertising has led to a situation where Australians are being increasingly encouraged to gamble, often without fully understanding the risks involved.

Reforming gambling advertising is not a simple task. Our government has carefully weighed the impacts to ensure that our reforms are both effective and sustainable. The worst outcome would be a knee jerk policy that simply shifts gambling ads to new platforms without reducing overall exposure. The government's response to the Murphy report—by Labor's late champion of gambling reform, Peta Murphy—has been thorough, measured and evidence based. We have gathered the necessary data, assessed the likely impacts of different approaches and engaged in extensive consultation with key stakeholders. We know that public sentiment is firmly in favour of stronger restrictions on online gambling advertising, and we are determined to deliver reforms that reflect community expectations. It is also important to consider the multiple channels over which advertising is delivered. It's not just television and radio but also digital platforms and social media where advertising can be targeted at vulnerable Australians.

We recognise that this work is taking longer than was hoped, but it is absolutely vital that we get this right. Rushed and poorly designed policies would only create new problems, and we owe it to Australians to ensure that any changes we implement will be effective, enforceable and long lasting. The need for meaningful action is clear. Australians are losing more to gambling than any other nation, and the harms of online gambling—from financial distress to mental health struggles—are being felt in households across the country.

As I said, our government is already taking strong steps to address and reduce these harms, but we are not stopping here. We are committed to breaking the cycle of online gambling harm and protecting the next generation from being drawn into a culture that normalises gambling. That means well-designed, evidence based reforms that address advertising saturation, prevent children from being exposed to gambling messaging and ensure that those struggling with addiction have the support and tools they need to regain control. This is not just about policy. It is about the kind of society that we want to build, a society where sport is about community and passion—not betting. It is a society where families can enjoy a game without a barrage of gambling ads, a society where we take meaningful action that is effective to prevent harm rather than just manage its consequences. The time for action is now. As I have said, steps have been taken, and more needs to be done.

If we fail to act decisively and carefully, we risk leaving future generations vulnerable to an industry that profits from addiction and loss. We will not allow this to happen. Our government is committed to getting this right, and we will not waver in our mission to protect Australians, especially young Australians, from the harms of online gambling. That is why we do not support this bill. Arising out of the extensive consultation on a model, it has raised additional complexities for the government to take on board. It is absolutely critical that we get this right.