Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reportedly held a series of high-level meetings with key executives from Australia’s major television networks and sporting codes just days before backing away from his government’s pledge to introduce stricter advertising regulations for online bookmakers.
On Friday, August 30, 2023, Albanese participated in a 95-minute round of phone calls and face-to-face meetings with top industry figures, including Network 10 president Beverley McGarvey, Seven Network CEO Jeff Howard, Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, and NRL Chairman Peter V’landys. These meetings were part of ongoing consultations about the government’s proposed policy to curb gambling ads.
Labor’s proposed changes, initially developed by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, would have introduced a range of restrictions on gambling advertising. The draft policy included a ban on gambling ads on social media, a limit on TV ads to just one hour before and after live sports broadcasts with a maximum of two ads per hour until 10pm, and further restrictions on advertising in stadiums and on player jerseys.
The policy, however, faced significant opposition from the gambling industry, sporting codes, and reform advocates. The AFL and NRL, both of which receive millions of dollars in revenue from partnerships with bookmakers like Sportsbet, Bet365, and PointsBet, argued that the proposed restrictions would harm their commercial interests, while reform groups and independent MPs called for a total ban on gambling ads, in line with recommendations from a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.
In the wake of these discussions, Albanese appeared to backtrack on his government’s original stance. When the policy was initially proposed, Rowland suggested a final version would be released by mid-2024. However, by late November 2023, the timeline was pushed back, with ministers indicating the policy would not be ready by the end of the year.
Albanese, speaking to the media last week, refused to commit to a release date, instead stating that the government would “roll out our agenda as it’s finalised after proper consultation.”
This shift in position was evident just days after Albanese’s meetings with key industry figures. On September 11, responding to questions in parliament, Albanese cited “off the top of my head” statistics claiming that 70 per cent of harmful gambling came from poker machines, while 15 per cent came from lotteries, a statement that left many experts puzzled as there was seemingly no public data to support these claims.
“I’m yet to see anyone stand up in this place and advocate banning, completely, all advertising of lottery and lotto tickets,” he said.
Meanwhile, the gambling industry remains under scrutiny for other issues. A class action lawsuit has been filed against Sportsbet by gamblers seeking to recover losses from “in-play” betting, alleging that the company misled customers by promoting a service that flouted federal laws on live betting. The case could cover thousands of Australians who used Sportsbet’s “fast code” service, which allowed in-game bets to be placed through phone calls, circumventing legal restrictions on mobile apps.
One such Australian is lead plaintiff Jeremy Bergman, who reportedly lost $2307 using the service between August 2019 and December 2021.
Generally speaking, punters cannot bet on events after they have commenced. However, bets can be placed over the phone.
“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 because key information about the bet is communicated by punters otherwise than by a voice call,” Maurice Blackburn principal Elizabeth O’Shea told the AFR.
“Sportsbet represented to the plaintiff and group members that the fast code service was legal, and in doing so, we believe it engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct contrary to the Australian Consumer Law.”
B&T approached Sportsbet, which declined to comment on the matter.
The Australian Financial Crimes regulator, AUSTRAC, is also suing Entain, the parent company of Ladbrokes and Neds, over serious non-compliance with anti-money laundering laws. This case, launched in December, is the latest in a series of regulatory challenges facing the gambling sector.
With the government’s policy on gambling advertising still in limbo, the outcome of the ongoing consultations and lobbying efforts remains uncertain.
