Critics pay out on PM for 'cowardly' gambling reforms
Critics label PM's gambling reforms 'cowardly' and 'pathetic' despite government claims they will make a difference.Summary
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his government's new anti-gambling reforms, arguing they will make a "meaningful difference" by shielding young people while allowing adults to gamble. However, the measures have been heavily criticized by independent MPs and harm reduction advocates, who describe them as "cowardly" and "pathetic." The reforms include a three-an-hour cap on TV gambling ads, bans on radio ads during school hours and inside stadiums, restrictions on online ads, and a ban on "pocket pokies" apps. Notably, the government has decided against creating a national gambling regulator, a key recommendation from a 2023 parliamentary probe. Critics argue the response is beholden to the gambling lobby and fails to address the scale of the problem, citing a Queensland study showing Australians lost over $32 billion on legal gambling in 2023/24. The lack of a national regulator was highlighted by an investigation into Entain, which found over 500 breaches of self-exclusion rules.
(Source：PerthNow)