States urged to go beyond Albanese's gambling reforms
Advocates criticize federal gambling reforms as insufficient, urging states to take further action to mitigate harm, particularly from poker machines.Summary
A new package of federal gambling reforms unveiled by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been described as “watered down and weak” by advocates, who say it places too much responsibility on states to address community harm. Australia leads the world in gambling losses, with an estimated $32 billion lost annually. The federal reforms focus on limiting advertising, particularly to children, by banning radio ads during school drop-off times, minimizing television ads during children’s viewing hours, and restricting online ads to verified adults. Ads will also be banned during live sports broadcasts before 8:30 pm and at sports venues. While some measures, like the ban on advertising at sports venues, are welcomed, advocates express disappointment that the reforms don’t go far enough, especially regarding online gambling. They emphasize that states need to do more, particularly in regulating poker machines, which account for an estimated $13 billion in annual losses. Tasmania, which recently abandoned a plan for a player card system for poker machines, is specifically criticized for heading in the “wrong direction.” A full government policy will be tabled in parliament on May 12.
(Source：PerthNow)