Prime Minister seeks to ‘de-link’ gambling and sport in major move on advertising

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denies any decisions have been made in his government’s approach to gambling advertising, despite media reports that it is set to announce a raft of key reforms.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Wednesday that Albanese was poised to announce the reforms in five key areas aimed at reducing the impacts of gambling advertising on children.

Those reforms closely resembled what the government was considering around 18 months ago when the then-Communications Minister Michelle Rowland briefed stakeholders.     

However, the reported changes do not go nearly as far as the 31 recommendations in the You Win Some, You Lose More report.

According to the SMH, they include a cap on the number of ads, a longer blackout period around advertising around live sporting events, requirements that social media services and streaming sites allow parents and children to opt out of gambling advertising, a phased ban on in-stadium and on jersey advertising and restrictions on ads around school pick-up times.

The Prime Minister was asked about the media reports by independent MP Andrew Wilkie during question time in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, and while he said nothing had been agreed to, he did indicate progress was being made.

“The government has not made any decisions. We worked things through in an orderly way, as I’ve said, to previous questions regarding gambling reform. We haven’t concluded what we’re doing,” he said.

“We’ve worked through and continue to consult appropriate interested parties, including members of the crossbench.

“I think that we need to get absolutely the balance right between people’s right to have a punt and the view that I have, which is that it is too prevalent and that people, particularly young people, should be able to watch sport and not see a link between sport necessarily and gambling.

“That we need to de-link those issues. The government continues to work on these issues and I don’t know with regard to the member for Clark’s suggestion about what’s been supported and what hasn’t been. When the Government makes decisions, which we make collectively, we then announce them.”

The Straight understands that any reforms would be driven directly from the Prime Minister’s office as opposed to being coordinated by the current Communications Minister Anika Wells.

Wagering sources spoken to by The Straight have said that the industry would be comfortable with the changes, given they closely mirror what was discussed and agreed to in 2024.

Back then, the government took the reforms off the agenda, with one of the supposed reasons being that it wanted to avoid a fight with impacted media companies ahead of the May 2025 election, which it comfortably won.

Pressure has been growing among the crossbench for action on the You Win Some, You Lose Report, which was chaired by the late Peta Murphy and handed down in mid-2023. It has been more than 1000 days since the report was released, and several members of the crossbench have been raising the issue in parliament.

Independent MP Kate Chaney, who was on that Committee, submitted a Private Members’ Bill to parliament this week proposing a blanket ban on gambling advertising.