Labor's gambling ad reforms branded 'capitulation' as crossbenchers demand tougher action

Labor’s reforms to gambling advertising have been branded a “capitulation” and “half-arsed” by opponents, as the Liberals and Greens combine to urge the government to go further in cracking down on wagering.

Three years this week since the Murphy report recommended a full ad ban, Labor’s proposed wagering reforms have underwhelmed the parliament, with the Coalition, Greens and crossbenchers all saying the changes are too weak – making it unclear whether the government’s bill will have enough support to pass into law.

Half a dozen Liberals spoke up in their party room meeting on Tuesday, calling for tougher action on gambling. Simon Kennedy, the member for Cook, recounted a personal story about his former school teacher battling wagering harm, including attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings with him.

“I’ve seen first-hand how gambling has shifted from entertainment to industrial-scale harm for too many Australians. Labor’s legislation is a capitulation to the gambling lobby,” he told Guardian Australia.

“It falls short on advertising restrictions, inducements and protections for children and young people. The prime minister should be standing with Australian families, not protecting vested interests.”

It comes weeks after 17 Coalition MPs alongside Liberal luminaries John Howard, Jeff Kennett and Nick Greiner signed an open letter, published in newspapers, calling for stronger gambling action.

Andrew Wallace, among Liberal MPs who spoke for stronger laws, noted the former opposition leader Peter Dutton’s policy of banning TV ads one hour before and after a sporting match was stronger than the corresponding part of Labor’s policy. He claimed Labor’s plan had “so many holes through it”.

“What they’ve produced is a half-arsed way of dealing with some of the damage that gambling causes Australians,” he said.

Labor’s changes, proposed to come into effect from 1 January 2027, will likely face another Senate inquiry over parliament’s winter break, after concerns from both the gambling industry and harm reduction advocates that the government’s consultation process over the legislation was rushed.

The government proposes to restrict gambling ads on TV to no more than three an hour between 6am and 8.30pm, with a ban during live sport during those hours; bans on radio ads during school pickup and drop-off times; banning gambling ads online unless users are over 18 and have an opt-out option; and banning the use of celebrity or influencer endorsements, as well as ads inside sporting venues and on player uniforms.

The draft reforms were subject to a consultation process, but both the gambling industry and harm reduction advocates were unhappy the process only ran for a few weeks and claimed they only got a short time to discuss the changes directly with government.

The communications minister, Anika Wells, said the reforms were “significant”, and while not opposing a Senate inquiry, she said it could delay the reforms coming into effect.

“We are now focused on getting that done, and I would say every day that gambling harm reduction advocates and their supporters in the Parliament argue for an extended Senate inquiry, further public inquiry, the other side of the fence uses that as a reason to delay implementation,” she told a press conference.

“Delaying actual reform and actual implementation isn’t worth further consultation on a piece that has been very publicly and prolifically discussed for three years.”

But Kennedy claimed the government’s response “simply doesn’t match the scale of the harm”.

“I’ve sat in Gambling Anonymous meetings and spoken directly with victims. I’ve heard about the debt, the shame, the broken families, the suicides and the relentless targeting by gambling companies. Labor’s legislation falls short of what Australians deserve and must be strengthened.”

Sarah Henderson, the shadow communications minister, said the Coalition wanted a Senate inquiry to ensure “meaningful and workable reform and not just headlines”.

“While we are continuing to work through the details in good faith, it’s no surprise we have concerns about the government’s bill which should be referred to a Senate inquiry,” she said.

The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young also called the reforms “half-arsed”, demanding a parliamentary inquiry.

“We all know kids don’t go to bed at 8.30pm while in the middle of watching their favourite football team. We all know that young people are being bombarded online by the gambling industry with gambling ads. The government’s bill fails to look at those things,” she said.

“The government needs to grow a spine here. Stare down the gambling lobby, stare down the big online media companies that are reaping the benefits of their advertising.”

Wells also revealed the reform package would include a levy on wagering companies to pay for a new public ad campaign for BetStop, the national self-exclusion register for gamblers. She called the program “the most effective thing” to help reduce gambling harm.

A statutory review of the program found that, while it was often effective in helping reduce gambling harms, some people on BetStop were still able to place bets, open accounts or receive wagering ads.

In Australia, Gambling Help Online is available on 1800 858 858. The National Debt Helpline is at 1800 007 007. In the UK, support for problem gambling can be found via the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic on 020 7381 7722, or GamCare on 0808 8020 133. In the US, call the National Council on Problem Gambling on 1-800-MY-RESET