Coalition MPs cross floor over ‘weak’ gambling crackdown as major parties strike deal
Summary
Australia’s major political parties agreed on new rules to restrict gambling ads and inducements, but some MPs from the Coalition party said the rules are too weak and crossed the floor to vote against them. The new law includes limits on advertising times, an opt-out register for gambling ads, and bans on some inducements, but it does not fully ban ads or inducements as earlier reports recommended.Key Facts
- The Australian government passed new restrictions on gambling advertising and inducements after a deal between Labor and Coalition parties.
- Two Coalition MPs, Andrew Wallace and Pat Conaghan, opposed the deal and voted against the amendments.
- The rules include a one-stop “opt-out register” that lets people choose not to receive gambling ads.
- Inducement ads are banned for people identified as at risk of harm, for 14 days after signing up to a service, and for three months after leaving self-exclusion programs.
- Ad blackout periods before live sports are extended from 5 to 15 minutes, and there are tighter limits on ads during children’s programs.
- Some previously announced reforms were included, such as banning gambling ads on player jerseys, in stadiums, and bans on celebrities promoting gambling.
- Some MPs and advocacy groups say the reforms are not strong enough and do not fully follow recommendations from a 2023 report on gambling harms.
- Crossbench MPs complained they had little time to review the changes before voting.
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