Pressure grows on federal government as talks resume on gambling advertising reform

New federal Communications Minister Anika Wells has confirmed that she has resumed consultations regarding reform to gambling advertising, as pressure ramps up on the Albanese government to act on the “You Win Some, You Lose More Report”.

Major reform to advertising restrictions surrounding gambling was shelved late last year, after former Communications Minister Michelle Rowland had consulted widely about changes.

Ahead of this year’s federal election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese repeatedly restated his government’s first-term achievements regarding gambling reform, but with Wells now in the hot seat, pressure is growing over two years since a parliamentary report recommended 31 reforms to Australia’s gambling sector.

Independent MP Kate Chaney, a member of the bipartisan committee that produced the “You Win Some, You Lose More” Report and a staunch advocate for a total ban on gambling advertising, questioned Wells in parliament this week about her intentions regarding advertising reform.

“This government has delivered the most significant online wagering harm reduction initiatives in a decade,” Wells said.

“That’s what this government did last term, and that work continues. We take very seriously our responsibility to people affected by online wagering, particularly young people and particularly vulnerable people.”

Wells said she had been working with Tanya Plibersek, the new Social Services Minister and had also been meeting with key stakeholders.  

“I’ve been getting my feet under the desk, and as part of that work I have been taking meetings with harm reduction advocates, with the broadcasters and with the sporting codes to get my head around what the pathway looks like moving forward,” she said.

Wells also mentioned BetStop figures, which revealed that 44,841 people had registered for the national self-exclusion register since its launch in 2023. Of those, 17,277 had opted for lifetime exclusions.

“That is good work, and that work now goes on,” she said.

Wells did not mention if she had been meeting with representatives of the wagering sector but it is known that several key industry figures have been in Canberra for the first week of parliament since the election.

The government’s previous consultations with gambling companies are set to come under scrutiny with Independent senator David Pocock putting forward an order for the government to produce the 32-page draft of its gambling advertising reform policy from last November.

Under the order, the federal government would also need to produce all written or digital correspondence, all attachments to any written or digital correspondence, briefing notes, text messages, file notes, meeting notices or minutes, or other records of interaction since October 10, 2024, related to online gambling reform and advertising reform for online gambling by next Tuesday.

Meetings and consultations with the two major sporting codes, AFL and NRL, commercial media companies, Responsible Wagering Australia and a host of corporate bookmakers were included in Pocock’s order, which was put forward to the Senate on Thursday.