Timeline tightened for online sport betting ad action
Restrictions on online gambling advertisements will soon be unveiled as Labor changes its tune on when it will act.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has been under pressure to act on key recommendations of a landmark report chaired by a late Labor MP, the cornerstone of which was to phase out gambling ads.
Ms Rowland has committed to responding to the report by the end of 2024, tightening the timeline from previous comments about acting in this term of parliament, with the election due by May 2025.
“We will be responding this year. We will be taking advice on the appropriate form in which that can be done,” Ms Rowland told ABC TV on Friday.
Whether law changes would be needed hasn’t been confirmed, but the government would be hard pressed to usher legislation through parliament with only three sitting weeks left before it rises for the year at the end of November.
“Legislation is obviously an option … but there are codes of practice,” the minister said.
“We’re looking at the most robust way in which we can make this effective and ensure that those harms are minimise.”
With the Greens and the cross bench wanting a complete ban, and the federal government flagging only a partial ban and a cap on ads outside televised sporting events, it would be up to the coalition to play ball and help expedite the passing of any legislation without extensive negotiations.
The coalition’s plan includes banning gambling ads during sports broadcasts and for an hour on either side, similar to what Labor has flagged, meaning there is common ground between the policies.
Ms Rowland said the vast majority of gambling losses were at casinos and from pokies, which had little advertising.
She is working with states and territories to formulate a comprehensive response to the report as the vast majority of recommendations go across Commonwealth and state jurisdictions.
“We’re also working very closely to ensure that there are no unintended consequences here and it’s actually effective,” she said.
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