CALL TO BAN
Gambling Ads
Open letter to the Prime Minister & Opposition
Australia has a gambling addiction.
It is not only leading to $25 billion in annual losses – it is escalating devastating social harm including financial loss, health and mental health issues, partner violence, family break-up and suicide.
There is strong evidence that gambling companies are now grooming our kids by targeting children as young as 14 through social media.
Our children are also being targeted by the tsunami of gambling ads that assault our screens, especially around coverage of our major sporting codes. It is ensnaring a whole new generation of gamblers.
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Gambling advertising in Australia is out of control with one million gambling ads being aired on free-to-air television and radio in just one year.
We the undersigned urge the Government and the Opposition to publicly commit to the swift adoption and implementation of all 31 recommendations of the Murphy Report parliamentary inquiry into online gambling.
This includes a 3-year, phased-in ban on all gambling advertising and the banning of inducements and promotions especially around sports betting which are unethically used to ensnare people who want to stop gambling.
Please act now.
1. Hon John Howard OM AC SSI
Former prime minister of Australia
2. Hon Malcolm Turnbull AC
Former prime minister of Australia
3. Lucy Turnbull AO
Businesswoman and Philanthropist
4. Rosie Batty AO
Family Violence Prevention Advocate
5. Hon Steve Bracks AC
Former Victorian premier
6. Hon Jeff Kennett AC
Former Victorian premier
7. Stephen Hill OAM
Founder, Globe International
8. Robert Tickner AO
Former Federal ALP minister
9. Hon Dominic Perrottet
Former NSW premier
10. Easton Wood
Former AFL champion
11. Mark Morey
Secretary, Unions NSW
12. Luke Hilakari
Secretary, Victorian Trades Hall Council
13. Edwina MacDonald
Acting CEO, Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS)
14. Reverend Kanishka Raffel
Anglican Archbishop of Sydney
15. Father Frank Brennan
Adjunct Professor and Jesuit Priest
16. Emeritus Professor Mike Daube AO
Health Sciences, Curtin University
17. Terry Slevin
CEO, Public Health Association of Australia
18. Dr Zac Seidler
Clinical Psychologist, Global Director, Movember
19. Rachel Ball
CEO, Reichstein Foundation
20. Denis Moriarty AM
Founder & Group Managing Director, Our Community
21. Andrew McKenzie
Chair, John T Reid Charitable Trusts
22. Gideon Haigh
Self-unemployed Journalist
23. Rebekha Sharkie
Independent Federal MP
24. Andrew Wilkie
Independent Federal MP
25. Zoe Daniel
Independent Federal MP
26. Senator David Pocock
Independent Federal Senator, ACT
27. Kate Chaney
Independent Federal MP
28. Dr Monique Ryan
Independent Federal MP
29. Kylea Tink
Independent Federal MP
30. Allegra Spender
Independent Federal MP
31. Dai Le MP
Independent Federal MP
32. Dr Helen Haines
Independent Federal MP
33. Zali Steggall OAM
Independent Federal MP
34. Dr Sophie Scamps MP
Independent Federal MP
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35. Russell Broadbent MP
Independent Federal MP
36. Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
Greens Federal Senator, SA
37. Senator Lidia Thorpe
Independent Federal Senator, Victoria
38. Lt Colonel. Major Greg Morgan
Secretary for Mission, The Salvation Army Australia
39. Stu Cameron
CEO and Superintendent, Wesley Mission
40. Mark Gaetani
President, St Vincent de Paul Society
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41. Simon Miller
CEO, Anglicare Sydney
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42. Professor Samantha Thomas
Public Health, Deakin University
43. Professor Simone Pettigrew
Director of Health Promotion, The George Institute for Global Health
44. Associate Professor Charles Livingstone
Public Health and Preventative Medicine, Monash University
45. Associate Professor Gemma Crawford
Curtin University, Immediate Past President and Life Member Australian Health Promotion Assoc.
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46. Dr Jonathan Hallett
Lead researcher, gambling and young people, Curtin University
47. Dr Beau Jayde Cubillo
First Nations Senior Research Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research
48. Dr John Crozier AM
Chair, National Trauma Committee, Royal Australian College of Surgeons
49. Dr Domenique Meyrick
co-CEO Financial Counselling Australia
50. Caterina Giorgi
CEO, Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education
51. Nieves Murray
CEO, Suicide Prevention Australia
52. Carly Dober
Psychologist, Director, Australian Association of Psychologists
53. Nick Tebbey
EO, Relationships Australia
54. Greg Aldridge OAM
CEO, EveryMan Australia
55. Micaela Drieberg
CEO, Gender Equity Victoria
56. Jess Hill
Journalist and Author of See What You Made Me Do
57. Kellie Friend
CEO, Toora Women
58. Anna Bardsley
Co-Founder, Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts (GHLEE)
59. Dr Devin Bowles
CEO, ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS)
60. Cara Varian
CEO, NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS)
61. Sally Sievers
CEO, Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS)
62. Aimee McVeigh
CEO, Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS)
63. Ross Womersley
CEO, South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS)
64. Louise Giolitto
CEO, West Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS)
65. Ellen Sandell MP
Leader of the Greens, Victoria
66. Samantha Ratnam MP
Greens, Victoria
67. Katherine Copsey MP
Greens, Victoria
68. Gabrielle de Vietri MP
Greens, Victoria
69. Sam Hibbins MP
Greens, Victoria
70. Sarah Mansfield MP
Greens, Victoria
71. Aiv Puglielli MP
Greens, Victoria
72. Tim Read MP
Greens, Victoria
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73. Georgie Purcell MP
Animal Justice Party, Victoria
74. David Ettershank MP
Legalise Cannabis Party, Victoria
75. Rachel Payne MP
Legalise Cannabis Party, Victoria
The below individuals support the letter to the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton published by the Alliance for Gambling Reform on August 13 2024 calling for a complete ban on gambling ads as proposed by the 2023 Murphy Report.