More protection for children from gambling inducements
Labor's national conference has agreed to strengthen gambling regulations to protect young people from online harms and social media inducements.Summary
The Labor Party's national conference has approved amendments to its platform aimed at increasing protections for young people against gambling harms. The new policy focuses on boosting the powers of national regulators, who will be required to report annually to parliament, and exploring ways to prevent social media and online gaming platforms from using embedded inducements that normalize gambling behavior in youth.
While the federal government previously introduced measures to limit TV and radio advertising, including potential bans during live sports, the party has stopped short of a total ban. However, delegates emphasized the need for stronger reforms, including restricting wagering ads, increasing financial counseling, and preventing gambling companies from claiming tax refunds for products designed to create addiction. Additionally, the party aims to use evidence-based public education to counter gambling messaging and explore ways to sever the ties between gambling and sports for younger demographics.
(Source：The Canberra Times)