Labor’s gambling reform bill is riddled with deficiencies and must be significantly amended – further evidence of Anika Wells’ incompetence and the government’s failure to take gambling harm seriously.
After a two-day Senate inquiry into the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026, it is clear the government has completely dropped the ball on delivering meaningful, workable reforms.
The bill ignores gambling inducements which are causing immeasurable harm to some Australians. There is mounting evidence legislative action is required to combat predatory inducements which target high risk or vulnerable gamblers.
Former NRL star, Luke Bateman, gave damning testimony about how VIP account managers from betting companies targeted him with financially crippling bonus bets, drugs, and other inducements.
The government’s bill, on its face, permits up to three gambling ads per hour during children’s television which is untenable, raising uncertainty about the longstanding prohibition against gambling advertising targeted at children under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice.
Labor is proposing to weaken the former Coalition government’s broadcast and online ban on gambling ads during live sport implemented in 2018 by allowing digital platforms to show gambling ads during scheduled and unscheduled breaks, subject to an untested ’triple lock’ opt out which raises serious privacy concerns.
For live sport streamed online, Labor’s proposal would allow gambling ads to appear during any break in play, even after a goal is scored, which is currently prohibited.
The five-minute gambling ad blackout which applies before and after live sport, between 5.00am and 8.30pm, has also been removed.
We continue to call out the Prime Minister’s lie for claiming this bill bans gambling ads during live sport when that ban was implemented by the Coalition eight years ago.
Gambling addiction is taking an enormous toll on so many Australian families.
After three years of delay, deflection and deception over gambling reform, the Albanese government’s failings on this bill are inexcusable.
It is no surprise the minister is now scrambling to fix this mess.
While the Coalition is working to finalise crucial amendments to this bill, Australians can be assured we won’t be supporting this deficient legislation in its current form.
We also won’t cop Labor’s spin on gambling reform.
The most significant measures to combat gambling harm were delivered by the former Coalition government including the broadcast and online ban on gambling ads during live sport, the legislating of Betstop, and a prohibition on betting companies offering sign-up inducements as part of the National Consumer Protection Framework.