IN THE NEWS

Crown’s mandatory carded play is working — helping reduce gambling harm and money laundering. But reform must go further. As Tim Costello says, “It’s an absolute vote winner. Every survey shows that Victorians are sick of the damage from pokies. Victoria and Jacinta need to lead and they will win.”

It’s time for statewide mandatory pre-commitment — no more delays, no more excuses. Let’s level the playing field and protect our communities.

Victorians lost a staggering $4 billion on poker machines in 2023-24. Now, the government is set to trial mandatory precommitment cards at 40 venues—but delays are costing lives.

Tim Costello is urging Premier Jacinta Allan to act now: "Enough harm, suicides, domestic violence and damage. Our courts are clogged with crime. Stand up for Victorians, pass this cashless card" he said.

Crown Casino was forced to introduce precommitment after a royal commission exposed its failures. Data on Crown’s pokies is not available publicly, but government insiders say that punter losses at the casino have dropped as a result of the scheme. If it works there, why wait to implement it everywhere?

Young Australians gamble less than older generations—but when they do, they engage in the most harmful forms. Nearly a third of 18-24-year-olds experience gambling harm, the highest rate of any age group. Pokies and online sports gambling, designed for immersion and addiction, are driving this crisis. With relentless gambling promotions and easy access, we’re failing young people. It’s time for urgent regulation to protect them.

The Albanese government promised to crack down on sports gambling ads, calling them “reprehensible.” But nearly two years after a landmark inquiry recommended a full ban, Labor has done nothing. Instead, it has delayed reform, held secret meetings with gambling industry giants, and admitted it won’t act before the election.

Meanwhile, gambling ads still flood Australian sport, normalising gambling for kids and causing immense harm to communities. The government’s inaction has left the industry to set its own rules—proving yet again that profits are being put before people.

The NSW government has scrapped its pledge to remove 9,500 poker machines, claiming it "would make no difference." But who did they listen to? An advisory panel stacked with gambling industry representatives. Meanwhile, communities continue to suffer from gambling harm.

This is a betrayal of voters and a win for the pokies lobby. NSW deserves real reform, not excuses.

New research has revealed how gambling companies “double donate” to political parties—once directly and again through their industry associations. These hidden financial ties give gambling interests more access to politicians and more power to influence policy, often at the expense of public health and community well-being.

Despite recent political donation reforms, the system remains highly opaque. More than half of the industry associations linked to alcohol and gambling don’t even disclose their members, making it difficult to track who is funding our politicians. The new rules also fail to prevent companies from donating multiple times through different channels.

With a federal election on the horizon, Australians deserve full transparency. Stronger reforms are urgently needed to protect democracy from the influence of gambling money.

The NRL’s season opener in Las Vegas—the global gambling capital—isn’t just about growing the game. It’s about gambling revenue. "The exporting of the opening round to the city that is the symbolic global capital of gambling is simply the natural outcome of a sport that has sold its soul to gambling," says Tim Costello, Chief Advocate for The Alliance.

NRL and AFL rake in millions from gambling ads, getting a cut of every bet. Meanwhile, reforms like banning gambling ads—backed by over 70% of Australians—are shelved. "The Prime Minister has shelved any reform, and Peter V’landys is cheering," Costello warns.

Taxpayer dollars are even funding the NRL’s expansion into Papua New Guinea, where gambling harm is already rising. We’re not just exporting footy—we’re exporting gambling devastation.

A new international study has found that loot boxes in video games share similar risk factors with gambling harm, linking them to anxiety, stress, and impulsivity. Flinders University professor Zsolt Demetrovics warns: “It might produce gambling later in adolescence – it’s an obvious risk.”

With Australian teens spending up to $70 a month on loot boxes and one in three children making in-game purchases, the risks are clear. The gaming industry must stop using gambling-like mechanics that lure young players into harmful spending habits.

The WA Government is strengthening gambling laws with tougher penalties and greater enforcement powers. These reforms, responding to the Perth Casino Royal Commission, aim to modernise regulation and deter illegal gambling.

GWC Chair Gary Dreibergs says: “The substantial increase in penalties will act as a more effective deterrent and a more appropriate punishment for law breakers.”

But to truly stop money laundering and protect people from gambling harm, The Alliance recommends a mandatory cashless gambling card with spending limits. This would:
✅ Prevent anonymous cash transactions
✅ Track gambling activity to detect suspicious behaviour
✅ Cut off the flow of dirty money in casinos

Support change. Donate to The Alliance today.

Independent MPs Andrew Wilkie and Rebekha Sharkie are demanding that gambling apps display live losses to help people see the real impact of their gambling. Right now, monthly statements aren’t enough—many people experiencing gambling harm don’t realise how much they’re losing until it’s too late.

"This would cost the government very, very little to police, but this would stop lives being lost," Ms Sharkie said.

The Alliance’s CEO, Martin Thomas, calls gambling harm an epidemic, revealing that up to one in five suicides could be linked to gambling harm. With weak consumer protections and predatory gambling companies exploiting personal data to push people into deeper losses, urgent action is needed.

Yet, the government continues to delay real reform, ignoring a landmark report that recommended banning gambling ads. Enough is enough.

Gambling has infiltrated our daily lives, especially through smartphones. With apps offering 24/7 access and sports betting integrating into sports culture, it’s never been easier—or more dangerous—to gamble. Globally, 80 million people suffer from gambling harm, many lured by apps designed to exploit our brains' reward systems.

Kids aren't immune, with games like Roblox gamifying gambling behaviours; for example loot boxes – where you trade real money for random digital items.

The NSW Government is banning gambling ads on public transport—buses, trains, ferries, and light rail. While this move is a step in the right direction, it’s nowhere near enough.
The Alliance supports this ban, but also would like to see the full implementation of Peta Murphy’s report, as well as the implementation of the mandatory cashless card for Poker machines.

Kate Roberts from the Gambling Impact Society supports the ban but stresses that the government must go further. "You know, kicking things around the edges and not actually biting the bullet and it just actually is continuing the damage. I mean, effectively, Australians are the biggest losers in the world, and we've known that for years."

If the next election delivers a hung parliament, Teal MPs will demand a full gambling ad ban as part of negotiations. Goldstein MP Zoe Daniel is clear: "My position has been clear and consistent, as the Murphy report unequivocally found, partial gambling bans do not work," Mackellar MP Sophie Scamps highlights the devastating consequences, saying "We know that it increases people are losing their homes, domestic violence, losing their jobs it's having all sorts of public health implications, and we need to act," Wentworth MP Allegra Spender adds that her community supports the ban and expects action; "people in my community back a ban on gambling ads and this will be one of a number of priorities I continue to pursue if I am re-elected," she said.

With Labor delaying reform and betting companies fighting restrictions, independent Senator David Pocock is now calling for an inquiry into the gambling industry’s influence over government policy. Will politicians stand with the public—or with gambling giants?

New AEC figures expose how gambling companies continue to buy political influence. While the government considered reforms to sports gambling—then conveniently shelved them—Sportsbet donated $88,000, Tabcorp $60,500, and peak body Responsible Wagering Australia gave $66,000 to Labor.

This isn’t just loose change. It’s a clear attempt to keep the status quo—where gambling companies rake in billions while Australians face devastating gambling harm. We need real political will to break this toxic cycle and protect our communities from predatory gambling.

NSW’s Labor government will ban gambling ads on trains, buses, light rail, and stations, addressing concerns about their harmful impact, especially on children. This move responds to public pressure after ads for the sports gambling app Picklebet flooded Sydney’s transit network.

“Parents are rightly worried about the impact it [gambling advertising] has on their kids, so it’s not something that we think needs to be on our transport network,” said Transport Minister Jo Haylen.

Reverend Tim Costello, Chief Advocate for The Alliance, joined Gary Hardgrave on 4BC Drive: “Look, the short-sightedness and greed of both sides of politics saying, well, we have a shiny new building, the electorate will applaud us.”

“We’re not actually looking at their business model, which was crime and predatory gambling practices.”

We must prioritise people over profits. Join us in challenging the systems driving gambling harm.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held a series of rapid meetings with top executives from TV networks, sports codes, and gambling stakeholders just weeks before backtracking on his pledge to tackle gambling ad reforms. Extracts from his diary, obtained under freedom of information laws, reveal that on August 30 last year, Mr Albanese made 10-minute calls with leaders from Network 10, Seven Network, Cricket Australia, and the AFL, and held a 20-minute face-to-face meeting with the NRL chairman and CEO.

These meetings, which insiders confirm discussed Labor’s proposal to curb gambling ads, leave us questioning: whose interests are really being served?

3 in 4 kids think gambling is a normal part of sport. Let’s protect the next generation. Donate today to help The Alliance end gambling harm.

Amid storms battering NSW with flooding, power outages, and tragic loss, a video has gone viral showing a woman playing pokies as water poured through the ceiling. She continued gambling , seemingly unfazed by the chaos around her.

This moment shines a harsh light on how gambling venues normalise harm. Even in dangerous situations, they provide a space where people can detach from reality, prioritising their next spin over personal safety.

It also highlights just how addictive the makers of poker machines make thier product, too often we blame the gambler when the industry spends billions making their products addicitve.

"Gambling losses rip $32 billion from the Australian Community yearly... And we're starting to talk to organisations that it is impacting including mental health, domestic violence and suicide prevention." - Martin Thomas, Alliance CEO.

The social harm extends beyond individuals. Families and communities feel the devastating ripple effects, as host Rob Cameron shared: “the ripple effect for those friends or family around the individual is quite horrendous… It is a really, really serious social problem, not just something that affects an individual every now and again.”

Young Australians are increasingly drawn to sports gambling, which is doubling every few years. Without urgent action, the harm is set to escalate in the next five years.

Despite public awareness campaigns and cultural shifts, men still struggle to talk about their mental health, meaning issues fester and can result in dire personal, social and relationships consequences.
💬 Men are less likely to seek help for their mental health issues
⚠️ Men are more likely to suicide without warning
🌙 Loneliness is more closely associated with depression than loss of job or low socio-economic status

Gambling harm exacerbates challenges across various aspects of life, often compounded by stigma and shame. It is associated with up to 20% of suicides and is closely linked to loneliness, depression, and low socioeconomic status, further deepening its negative impact.

It’s 2025: a new year and an election is on the horizon. Will our leaders have the courage to take action on gambling reform? We need to see Peta Murphy’s inquiry recommendations fully implemented — that means banning gambling ads, banning inducements, and creating a National Regulator.

This year, let’s hold our leaders accountable. Real change is possible — if they’re brave enough to act.

💪 Join the fight for reform.

Australians lose over $1,600 per person every year to gambling harm — the highest in the world.

This Boxing Day, let’s fight back. We need real reform to end the losses, protect families, and stop gambling harm for good.

Join The Alliance in delivering a knockout blow to gambling harm.

🥊 Donate today and help end gambling harm.

DEAR MPs: VICTORIA PROVES IT CAN BE DONE NO MORE EXCUSES

While Victoria takes bold action on poker machine reform, Tasmania's politicians walk past community suffering every day.

Your $50 helps fund this billboard right near Parliament House - where they can't ignore it.

No more hiding. No more excuses. Victoria proved reform is possible.

👉 Put your message in front of MPs. Support the billboard today.

Gambling harm is a growing public health crisis, hitting vulnerable people hardest: those facing poverty, discrimination, or major life challenges. As gambling markets expand, harm rises—threatening the WHO's Sustainable Development Goals on health, inequality, and justice.

Unregulated online gambling, aggressive advertising, and industry lobbying worsen the problem Population-wide measures like banning gambling ads, mandatory loss limits, and strict regulations are essential to protect communities.

“Gambling is a problem because of advertising. To say otherwise is an insult.” – Greg Baum.

Australia’s gambling ads fuel a crisis. Despite a federal inquiry calling for a ban, the government delays reform, catering to corporate interests. Like tobacco before it, banning gambling ads will protect communities without destroying sport.

The Alliance calls for urgent action to ban these intrusive ads and shield vulnerable Australians. Join us in the fight to end gambling harm.

An Australian father was shocked to hear Sportsbet ads play between Frozen and Bluey songs on Spotify, calling it “inappropriate and potentially damaging to my children.” Despite age restrictions, the ads were allegedly heard on his account while playing children’s music.

Sportsbet has paused advertising on Spotify but insists its ads exclude family content. Public health experts and politicians, including Senator David Pocock, say this incident highlights the urgent need for a total ban on gambling ads.

“Children are highly impressionable; exposure to gambling ads normalises and conditions them to gambling,” the father warned.

It’s time to protect our kids. Join The Alliance in the fight against gambling harm. Donate today.

The government has shelved gambling reforms, ignoring overwhelming public support for action. Mark Kempster, an Alliance advocate, reflects on the harm caused: "An overwhelming majority in Australia don't want to see gambling ads on TV anymore."

Children as young as six now know the odds better than the players, while parents struggle to shield their families from the relentless advertising. "We're the first generation having to explain gambling terms like multis to primary school kids," says Kempster.

Despite an inquiry delivering clear recommendations eight months ago, vested interests continue to block reforms. It’s time to put community safety ahead of corporate profits.

Nearly two years since the Murphy Inquiry, not one of its 31 gambling reform recommendations has been implemented — despite urgent calls for change.

This week, as Victoria debates mandatory precommitment cards, federal leaders remain silent. Tim Costello, Chief Advocate for The Alliance, says: "Both Prime Minister Albanese and Peter Dutton have been captured by the gambling industry."

Communities are suffering. Families are hurting. And still, gambling profits come before people.

New research from Melbourne Uni reveals a 57% increase in Australian men gambling on sport over the past seven years—jumping to over 60% for younger men.

https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/news/100919-the-rate-of-sports-betting-has-surged-more-than-57-%E2%80%93-and-younger-people-are-betting-more

Alliance CEO Martin Thomas warns: "The spiralling rates at which young people are gambling is a horrendous concern."

With Australians losing $32 billion a year to gambling, the government must act on the 31 recommendations from last year’s parliamentary inquiry. The fastest-growing form of gambling is online sports gambling—and young men are paying the price.

Australians lost a staggering $31.5 billion to gambling last year—more than we spend on electricity and gas combined. The fastest-growing form of gambling? Online - driven by relentless ads and easy access, exposing a new generation to devastating losses.

Martin Thomas, CEO of The Alliance, warns: "The rapid, spiralling pace of online gambling, led by young people and exposing a whole new generation, is turbo-charging our losses."

With an election approaching, we must demand urgent reform—starting with a ban on gambling ads. Let's stop the harm.

Community and public health groups have expressed concern over reported plans by a lobby group for gambling and alcohol companies to influence the federal election outcome as a way to further stifle public health reform.

As reported in the Australian Financial Review, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) plans to funnel tens of thousands of dollars into major political party candidates in electorates facing strong challenges from independents. The report claims the purpose behind this is to “minimise uncertainty of a hostile crossbench”.

Today the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) joins with the Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR) to renew their call for an end to all political donations from alcohol and gambling companies.

AFR: https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/pubs-and-clubs-fund-major-parties-to-limit-hostile-crossbench-20250312-p5lj1l

The NRL’s push into Las Vegas has sparked backlash, with 60% of fans asking, “Why are we doing this again?”

Tim Costello said: “The exporting of the opening round to the city that is the symbolic global capital of gambling is simply the natural outcome of a sport that has sold its soul to gambling.”

Spiralling gambling losses are a bigger drain on the household budget than the cost of electricity and gas while gambling losses are growing at a rate faster than the cost of housing.

The CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Martin Thomas, said that for every person that gambles six other people are impacted. This makes gambling a critical but ignored cost-of-living pressure for families.

“Gambling reforms, such as banning gambling advertising, represent a non-inflationary, low-cost suite of initiatives that would bring profound relief to families who are struggling with rising prices of essentials,” he said.

Network 10 aired gambling ads during the Formula 1 Grand Prix—breaking clear rules designed to protect the community from gambling harm. ACMA found them in breach, but instead of a penalty, they got off with a warning and a promise to improve. This follows a similar breach by their streaming service last year. How many "warnings" before real action is taken? Broadcasters profit from gambling ads—shouldn’t they pay for the harm they help spread?

New figures showing poker machine losses in NSW have reached a record high of $8.64 billion are horrendous and underscore the urgent need for reform, the CEO of the Alliance, Martin Thomas, said.

The latest quarterly data from Liquor and Gambling NSW shows a 7 per cent increase in net profits for pubs and clubs – the steepest increase outside of the COVID rebound in at least six years. Mr Thomas said these losses represent social harm on an industrial scale across NSW and were exacerbating the cost of living crisis for countless battling families.

“There is clear evidence that a mandatory cashless card with pre-set loss limits would not only reduce criminal money laundering through poker machines but also dramatically reduce gambling harm,” Mr Thomas said.

SMH: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/poker-machine-losses-hit-record-high-last-year-20250220-p5ldr7.html

NSW’s three newest MPs—Monica Tudehope, James Wallace, and Jacqui Scruby—used their first speeches to call out the damage caused by poker machines. The Alliance’s Tim Costello says they’ve shown “more leadership than [Premier Chris] Minns and Labor” on gambling reform.

Tudehope highlighted that Australia has “the worst gambling losses in the world,” while Wallace called for technology to be used to “empower people by establishing an effective exclusion register” and self-imposed limits. Scruby pushed for immediate action, saying, “It’s time to reignite the appetite and commitment to reform.”

It’s clear: NSW wants real change. Australia wants real change. The question is, will the government listen?

Young women are gambling at the same rates as men, yet stigma and lack of research leave many suffering in silence. Ella McIntosh lost $20,000 after downloading a solitaire gambling app at 19. "I felt really ashamed of it because there was nothing showing me that it's something that happens to women."

Research shows women aged 18–34 are most at risk, yet gambling companies continue targeting them with aggressive marketing. The government has had nearly two years to act on 31 recommendations from the You win some, you lose more report—but nothing has changed. Advocate Kate Seselja says, "There’s no excuse for not taking action to protect Australia's wellbeing."

Once, pokies were seen as a game for older Australians. Not anymore. Young people aged 18–24 are now the biggest demographic of poker machine users in Victoria.

Dr Charles Livingstone warns, "The old stereotype was people in their 40s, 50s and 60s...There is a trend that people who use pokies are increasingly younger people." With gambling harm rising, we can’t ignore this shift.

The pokies industry is targeting young Australians—it's time to push back.

Take a stand. Donate to The Alliance today.

The government has ignored the Murphy Report on gambling harm for nearly two years—despite over 70% of Australians wanting a ban on gambling ads. Mark Kempster, who bravely shared his lived experience, says: “It took a lot for us to give evidence... to have the government turn its back on us has been pretty disgusting.” The gambling lobby’s grip on politics is costing lives. Enough is enough. Ban gambling ads now.

Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster lost $100,000 to online gambling and knows firsthand the harm it causes. Now an advocate for change, he’s fighting for urgent reforms—including a total ban on gambling ads.

"Every day these ads stay on TV, people fall back into addiction." Mark says he’s even had to stop watching live sport to protect his mental health. He accuses the government of failing Australians by delaying action on the Murphy Report, despite the Prime Minister promising to honour the late MP’s legacy.

"He's just kicked the can down the road." The report, which includes over 30 recommendations, still hasn’t been tabled in Parliament—nearly two years after Mark gave evidence.

The AFL is pushing for a bigger slice of gambling profits, negotiating with bookmakers to increase its cut from sports betting. Already making up to $40 million a year from these deals, the league wants an even greater share from bets on match results, player stats, and finals—potentially increasing its gambling revenue by more than 25% annually.

This deeper reliance on gambling money comes at a time when Australia faces mounting gambling harm. Fans should be able to enjoy the game without being bombarded by gambling ads and incentives. Instead of profiting from gambling losses, the AFL must take responsibility and break its toxic ties to the industry.

Bereaved families say coroners often overlook gambling’s role in suicides, leaving vital lessons unlearned. Many feel excluded from inquests, with critical evidence ignored.

Liz Ritchie from Gambling with Lives: “People are dying and it is not being properly established why.”

Up to 20% of suicides are linked to gambling harm, yet only one inquest has held a gambling firm accountable. Families are calling for urgent reform to ensure accountability and prevent future tragedies.

A major class action has been launched against Sportsbet, accusing the company of using its "fast code" service to bypass Australian laws designed to prevent gambling harm. These laws prohibit placing bets on sporting events after they’ve started unless done via a voice call.

Maurice Blackburn lawyer Elizabeth O’Shea stated, “We believe that Sportsbet’s use of the fast code service is not just an attempt to circumvent important laws aiming to prevent gambling harm, it is also illegal.” Lead plaintiff Jeremy Bergman claims to have lost $2,307 using the service.

A common myth: the more you gamble, the more likely it’s “your turn” to win. The reality? Each time you gamble, the odds are the same—and they’re stacked against you.

Breaking free from myths like the gambler’s fallacy helps you take back control. Recognising that poker machines, gambling apps, and other gambling avenues are designed to be addictive reveals the predatory nature of the industry. Don’t be the prey!

Randomness doesn’t owe you a win or predict a loss.

Australians lose $32 billion to gambling annually—$1,500 per person! Yet, the federal government delays reform, ignoring recommendations for a total ban on gambling ads. Alliance CEO Martin Thomas highlights the shocking toll: up to 1 in 5 suicides linked to gambling harm.

Powerful groups and gambling companies block change while showering politicians with gifts and donations. The losers? Everyday Australians, especially families facing a cost-of-living crisis.

“Alliance CEO Martin Thomas: “We can't underestimate the cost-of-living crisis that's happening. It may seem in the cold light of day, a little bit ironic, but people are more likely to gamble when they're under financial stress. When people were under enormous financial stress-sometimes it impairs their decision making; they see the opportunity for a payout and they start to gamble, and once they start gambling, they start to chase their losses, and it spirals out of control.

“Some states like Victoria are moving to what we what they describe as a cashless card system, where people can predetermine how much they want to lose at the beginning of the week and then once they reach that loss limit, they stopped from gambling for a few days until the next week comes around. That's something Queensland government could definitely do and would make an enormous difference.”

Surf clubs are at the heart of Aussie culture—family-friendly venues offering lifesaving services and breathtaking beachfront views. Yet, these beloved spaces are tainted by the presence of pokies, which cause devastating gambling harm.

On the Gold Coast alone, 17 surf clubs host 583 pokies, collecting a staggering $46M annually. Despite claims that gambling profits support the community, reports show venues typically return just 2% of these earnings to charity. Meanwhile, taxpayers heavily subsidise these clubs, providing them with prime beachfront land.

Pokies are linked to rising family violence, relationship breakdowns, and even suicides. Research reveals gambling harm affects not just players but six others around them. Removing pokies won’t compromise lifesaving services but could restore the values these clubs stand for.

In 2025, we want to see the government to make meaningful changes to gambling reform. We want to see Peta Murphy’s inquiry report fully implemented — all 31 recommendations. This means banning gambling ads, banning inducements, and creating a National Regulator.

With your support, we’ll keep pushing for safer communities and real change. Let’s make 2025 the year we end gambling harm!

As 2024 draws to a close, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support, dedication, and passion in the fight to end gambling harm. Your commitment fuels real change and brings us closer to a safer, fairer future for all Australians.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful and restful Christmas. Together, we’ll continue the fight for reform in 2025!

#GamblingReform #ThankYou #MerryChristmas

A heartfelt thank you to our partner, the Reichstein Foundation, for empowering The Alliance to achieve significant strides in gambling reform this year. Your unwavering support has helped us challenge harmful systems, raise awareness, and protect our communities from gambling harm.

Together, we’re driving real change and building a fairer, healthier Australia. The fight isn’t over — let’s keep the momentum going and make 2025 even more impactful!

Gambling harm is a silent epidemic affecting Australian women. From caregivers to professionals, women are slipping through the cracks, trapped by stigma and shame. Support services remain inadequate, and the government refuses to ban harmful gambling ads. As Anna Martin, founder of The Untangle Project, says, "This is a public health crisis for Australian women, and it will persist until meaningful change becomes a primary, well-funded, and ongoing priority for our country."

Alliance Voices Advocate, Nelson knows firsthand the impact of gambling harm on the Australian Chinese community. As an affected other he watched his community struggle with it since the day he was born. Now, Nelson does art installations that express that story.

In the Australian Chinese community poker machines are known as ‘tiger machines’, Nelson explained; "The term ‘tiger machine’ came from the translation of ‘poker machine’ in English. In Chinese, the characters are tiger and machine and for me that just really struck a chord because it emphasised the predatory nature of these machines, and of gambling.”

SBS Story: https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/en/podcast-episode/are-gambling-organisations-targeting-cald-communities/psvmjr4cb

Mark Kempster, a lived experience advocate for The Alliance, signed up to the Albanese government’s self-exclusion register BetStop and its state equivalents. He hoped these measures would protect him. Instead, he says, “You feel like you can’t escape it.”

BetStop is supposed to block online gambling and stop marketing messages. Yet, self-excluded gamblers like Mark are still being targeted by offshore companies. These operators exploit loopholes, and the industry regulator is doing little to stop them. BetStop doesn’t cover offshore companies, leaving vulnerable Australians unprotected.

“Every day you delay action on these regulations is another day that another young Australian, or any Australian, falls into an addiction because of what we’re subjected to at the moment in the media.” – Mark Kempster

Mark Kempster, who lost $100,000 to gambling, is fighting for change. He describes the government’s refusal to act on a proposed phased ban on gambling ads as “ridiculous” and “disappointing.”

“We can’t watch sport. We can’t enjoy sport without having gambling advertising shoved down our throats,” says Mark. He adds: “Every week, I get a different young person in Australia messaging me [about gambling harm].”

Mark urges action: “I don’t want people to go through the issues I went through.”

Support for banning gambling advertising is widespread, according to new polling from The Australia Institute:

🎯 Three in four Australians (76%) support a total ban on gambling ads phased in over three years. This is an increase on the 72% reported in a similar poll conducted by Redbridge late in 2024.

📱 Four in five (81%) Australians support banning gambling ads on social media and online.

📺 Nearly nine in ten (87%) support banning gambling ads during prime time TV hours for family and children.

⚽ More than three quarters (79%) support banning gambling ads in sporting stadiums and on players’ uniforms.

📉 More than three quarters (78%) agree that Australian government policies should aim to reduce the amount people spend on gambling.

🧒 Four in five Australians (80%) agree that children are exposed to too many gambling ads.

A new report by The Alliance and Wesley Mission reveals Australians lose $31.5 billion to gambling every year—more than the federal government spends on aged care. That’s a bigger hit to household budgets than electricity and gas bills combined.

Alliance CEO Martin Thomas warns, “For every person who gambles, six other people are affected.” With families already struggling, gambling losses are worsening the cost-of-living crisis. Yet, despite overwhelming public support, the government has stalled on gambling reform, bowing to lobbying pressure from major sporting codes.

Banning gambling ads is a simple, non-inflationary solution that would bring real relief. It’s time for political leaders to act in the public’s interest—not the gambling industry’s.

A government adviser told gambling reform advocates that gambling isn’t as serious a public health issue as smoking. Alliance advocate Mark Kempster pushed back: “It only takes one bet to get addicted to something, so to not see it in that light was really disappointing to hear.”

Despite overwhelming public and bipartisan support, the government has stalled on the You Win Some, You Lose More report for 18 months. “We have a report sitting on a desk for the last 18 months, which gives you easy guidelines and outlines of how to rein in this industry and how to protect vulnerable Australians, which has not been taken seriously at the moment,” Kempster said.

"In the last decade, the nature of gambling in Australia has changed profoundly and its impact on family household budgets is now greater than at any other time.

"New research by Equity Economics shows that spiralling gambling losses are now a bigger drain on the household budget than the cost of electricity and gas while gambling losses are growing at a rate faster than the cost of housing.

"The research also revealed that Australia's staggering annual gambling losses eclipses that spent by the federal government on aged care and almost rivals the expenditure for the NDIS.

"There is still time for both Labor and the Coalition to commit to a sensible response to the Murphy parliamentary inquiry report and its recommendations - to ban all gambling advertising, ban inducements and set up a national gambling regulator."

- Alliance CEO Martin Thomas

Leaked documents reveal the AFL has lost control over online gambling oversight, struggling to detect if players, coaches, and staff are using insider info to manipulate gambling markets. The league admits to “unprecedented” integrity risks but remains deeply tied to gambling revenue—even demanding a bigger share from bookmakers. Meanwhile, fans and public health experts condemn the AFL’s silence on gambling harm.

Imagine picking up your local paper and instead of news, the entire front page is a gambling ad. That’s exactly what happened with The Examiner on February 25th—an entire cover promoting Bet365 and urging people to gamble on the Launceston Cup.

Mark Kempster called it out: "I've never seen anything like it to be on the front page of such a large state newspaper, I am actually dumbfounded by it."

Our media should inform, not advertise harmful products. This is gambling industry influence at its worst—normalising gambling and pushing harm in plain sight. It’s time to demand better.

Donate today to support real change!

On Thursday the 13th of February, six Ladbrokes ads aired between 7PM and 8:30PM during Home and Away—a show with a large teenage audience. One of our Voices for Gambling Reform, who counted the ads, asked: "Why are we normalising gambling ads for young people?"

Current ACMA rules allow this because Home and Away is rated PG—but so is Frozen. Let that sink in. Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it right. This is why restrictions are not enough we need to #EndGamblingAds. It’s time to put community wellbeing ahead of gambling profits.

Queenslanders are losing a staggering $3.5 billion a year to poker machines—over $9.5 million every single day. These losses have jumped 46% since the pandemic, hitting communities hard, especially in areas with lower household incomes like Logan, Lockyer Valley, and Ipswich.

"The gambling industry is predatory. It targets low-income households in many cases, people who can least afford to lose this money," says The Alliance’s Martin Thomas. With 41,000 pokies in pubs and clubs across the state—not including casinos—the industry is raking in billions while families suffer.

The solution? Mandatory cashless gambling cards. These cards, already being introduced in Victoria, allow people to set limits before they play—preventing devastating losses before they happen. NSW is also considering similar reforms after a trial. Queensland must act now to protect vulnerable communities.

A UK high court has ruled that Sky Betting & Gaming unlawfully targeted a vulnerable gambler with relentless marketing, despite clear signs of gambling harm. Sam, who lost 10 years of his life to gambling, was bombarded with 1,389 promotional emails, even after trying to quit. The company used sophisticated profiling to predict his behaviour—but not to protect him.

Lawyer Ravi Naik called the ruling a “death knell for this kind of pernicious activity: tick-boxes, mass surveillance and data sharing, all unbeknownst to the user.”

This exposes how gambling companies exploit people for profit. Regulators must act now to stop these harmful practices.

Gambling companies have been secretly sharing user data with Facebook’s parent, Meta—without consent. This data is used to profile people as gamblers and bombard them with gambling ads, violating data protection laws.

Data privacy expert Wolfie Christl says: “Sharing data with Meta is highly problematic, even with consent, but doing so without explicit informed consent shows a blatant disregard for the law.”

Gambling companies are preying on young men, turning sports into a tool for profit. Mobile betting apps—designed like poker machines—flood our screens, promising “easy wins” but delivering gambling harm instead. Research shows 16.3% of young sports bettors develop gambling addiction, and bankruptcies are rising where betting is legal. With dopamine-driven instant bets on every play, gambling isn’t about skill—it’s a trap.

It’s time to call this what it is: a public health crisis. We need stronger regulations and an end to gambling’s grip on sport.

After the release of the latest donation figures this week through the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) Transparency Register, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) and Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR) jointly called for alcohol and gambling companies to be excluded from making political donations.

CEO of AGR Martin Thomas said, “The evidence shows these donations spike at times when reforms are being considered. It is a blatant attempt to undermine reform and in doing so it is an attack on our democratic process.

“With political willpower it is absolutely possible for gambling and alcohol companies to be excluded from donating – we saw it with tobacco, now let’s see it for these other industries that are causing significant health and social harms in our communities," He said.

Media Release:

Patrons lost nearly $30 million to pokies in Port Phillip last year, including $2.1 million at the Bleakhouse Hotel—featured in a council-funded Broadsheet promotion. Promoting pokies venues undermines community health and wellbeing.

We urge the City of Port Phillip to follow the lead of other Victorian councils and recognise pokies as a harmful product. Councils have a vital role in protecting community health, and pokies venues should never be promoted.

If you live in Port Phillip and you’re concerned about the effects of pokies venues, we encourage you to write to the Mayor and Councillors.

Labor has reportedly shelved its plan to curb gambling ads until after the election, bowing to pressure from media, betting giants, and major sports leagues. This delay means more relentless gambling ads, more harm, and more lives at risk.

Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster said: "This report in the SMH shows the Prime Minster is beholden to Peter V'landys and the gambling lobby in this country. He has turned his back on every vulnerable Australian like myself who are having their lives ruined on a daily basis by this insidious, predatory industry. He has also turned his back on former Labor MP Peta Murphy, who he promised to 'honour her legacy'. He hasn't even come close to doing that and should be ashamed."

Media Release: https://www.agr.org.au/agr-media-releases/no-action-is-the-worst-response-of-all-to-gambling-harm-

Join The Alliance in our mission to prevent and reduce gambling harm in Australia! We're seeking a part-time Engagement Support Officer to play a vital role in strengthening our partnerships, supporting our Leadership Councils, and growing our advocacy efforts.

📍 Location: Work from home or hybrid
📆 Closing Date: 24 Feb, 2025
💡 Role Highlights:

🔹 Engage with our incredible Leadership Councils who help drive gambling reform.
🔹 Build and maintain partnerships with local councils across Australia to promote sustainable change.
🔹 Coordinate communication to share updates on campaigns, events, and advocacy work.
🔹 Help secure new partnerships and funding opportunities.

This is your chance to contribute to a just, healthy, and prosperous Australia, free from gambling harm. Apply now and be part of meaningful change!

New research reveals that Victorian RSLs earned $2.1bn from poker machines between 2009 and 2019, yet only 1.5% of this revenue went towards veteran welfare. Despite tax concessions requiring RSLs to allocate 8.3% of gambling revenue to community contributions, most of these funds were spent on business expenses such as wages and venue maintenance.

Dr Louise Francis, who led the study, criticised this model as "an excessively inefficient approach to funding community initiatives" and questioned the RSL’s reliance on gambling, stating: “Why is the RSL so committed to being connected with gambling when there is so, so much harm attributed to the cohort that they’re supposed to be protecting?”

Read the research: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020024000906?via%3Dihub

According to neuroscientist Dean Burnett, gambling can hijack the brain’s reward system, making it as addictive as drugs. But unlike drug addictions, gambling harm is harder to detect and treat. Burnett explains that gambling operates on a “variable reinforcement schedule,” meaning wins are unpredictable. This unpredictability fuels addiction, keeping people hooked even when they lose repeatedly.

Shockingly, up to 90% of gambling harm cases go unreported because there’s no physical substance to identify or remove. Prevention is crucial to breaking this cycle. Reducing exposure to gambling is our best chance to even the odds and protect lives.

That’s why we need the Government and Opposition to publicly support the 31 findings of the Murphy Report, including creating a national regulator, banning all gambling ads within three years, banning inducements, and imposing a levy on the gambling industry to fund harm reduction measures.

South Australia is leading the charge for healthier communities by banning junk food ads on public transport from 1 July 2025. Ads for unhealthy products like chocolate, soft drinks, and chips will no longer appear on Adelaide Metro buses, trains, and trams. This bold move targets obesity, now Australia’s leading risk factor for disease burden.

But what about gambling ads? The Alliance believes they should be next on the list. Harmful advertising, whether it’s junk food or gambling, targets vulnerable communities and puts profits above people. It’s time to take action and extend protections even further.

Join us in advocating for a safer, healthier future. Donate to The Alliance today.

In 2025, The Alliance celebrates a decade of fighting gambling harm. Here’s why we must keep pushing for reform:

1️⃣ $1,600 lost per Australian every year—the highest worldwide.
2️⃣ Gambling linked to up to 20% of suicides.
3️⃣ Families experiencing gambling harm face 3x higher domestic violence risk.
4️⃣ 75% of kids aged 8–16 know sports gambling brands.
5️⃣ Normalised gambling in sport—3 in 4 kids think it’s “just part of the game.”
6️⃣ Gambling ads tied to increased harm.
7️⃣ Over 880,000 Australians are problem or at-risk gamblers.
8️⃣ 72% of Australians want gambling ads banned.
9️⃣ Reducing gambling by 10% could prevent thousands of crimes annually.
🔟 Together, we can protect our communities.

Help us drive change. Donate today 💪

In 2025, The Alliance marks a decade of advocacy against gambling harm. For 10 years, we've worked tirelessly to protect communities and push for reform. Join us as we reflect on our impact and continue the fight to make gambling harm a thing of the past.

Help us make the next decade even stronger. Donate today to fuel the fight for reform! 💪

As we welcome a new year, let’s commit to protecting our communities from gambling harm. Australians lost $32 billion to gambling in 2022/23 — and families are paying the price.

It’s time for real reform: a full ban on gambling ads, stronger protections, and a safer future for all.

Join The Alliance and make 2024 the year we end gambling harm.

🎆 Take action: Donate today to support gambling reform.

Tonight, children dream of joy and hope — but for too many families, gambling harm steals that joy. Australia’s gambling losses are soaring, and kids are growing up thinking it’s normal.

Help us fight for a future where families thrive, free from gambling harm. The time for reform is now.

🎄 Join The Alliance: Donate today and help create a brighter tomorrow.

Right now, the gambling industry's lobbyists are working overtime to delay reform. We can't let them win.

Every day of delay means more families affected by gambling harm. More children exposed to predatory ads. More lives impacted.

Your donation will help us:

✔️ Keep pressure on politicians to act now
✔️ Counter the gambling industry's influence
✔️ Amplify the voices of those harmed by gambling

Sportsbet's Snapchat filters are exposing children to gambling ads, despite supposed 18+ restrictions. Kids are seeing friends use filters that promote gambling accounts, turning fun into harmful exposure. It's clear: gambling ads are infiltrating young people’s lives.

A total ban on gambling ads is overdue. Our kids deserve protection from these predatory practices. Support the fight against gambling harm — donate to The Alliance today!

The Alliance supports a mandatory cashless gambling card with robust harm minimisation features, including binding pre-commitment limits and reasonable defaults. Voluntary or anonymous systems fail to prevent gambling harm and won’t stop money laundering.

NSW Labor’s failed trial shows piecemeal approaches don’t work. A cashless card can reduce money laundering and gambling harm, but only if it’s mandatory and designed to protect vulnerable gamblers—not just the industry.

A study by Roy Morgan revealed that gambling on poker machines between 2am and 8am dramatically increased the risk of gambling harm. Nearly two-thirds of late-night gamblers faced severe negative consequences, and over 22% were classified as experiencing significant gambling harm.

Despite this, the NSW gambling reform panel's draft report only supported a six-hour pokies shutdown starting no later than 4am—ignoring evidence that late-night gambling primarily impacted those already vulnerable.

Research statistician Matthew Stevens stated, “It was really, really clear. The later at night people played the pokies, the more likely they were to be experiencing gambling harm.”

“But if you bring in gambling cards with set limits, it doesn’t matter when venues are open. They can be open 24 hours because once people hit that limit, they can’t gamble any more.”

Communities deserve better. We need mandatory cashless cards with set limits, , and we need more programs like Libraries After Dark, which provide free, safe, and friendly alternatives to spending the evening at the pokies.