reasons why gambling should not be abolished

Normalising harmful behaviourĪs with cigarette marketing in decades past, sports sponsorship and advertising has been the primary mechanism for the aggressive “normalisation” of gambling. Now children recite bookmaker brands and the odds as they discuss the weekend’s sport. It’s not just about the game, or the players, or the teams any more. Parents are alarmed at the changing way their children view sport. But as any parent will tell you, this won’t stop sports-mad kids seeing them.Ĭhildren are regularly, and heavily, exposed to these ads. Generally, this means they’re not allowed until after 8:30pm.

SBS News 15 May, 2023Īt present, a voluntary code governs when these ads can be shown. It’s something Prime Minister Anthony Albanese agrees is “ annoying”, after Opposition leader Peter Dutton proposed a ban on gambling ads an hour before and after sports matches.Ī new, fit-for-purpose gambling act plus a blanket ban on gambling advertising is the only way to prevent 'a future generation of losers', says an anti-gambling expert. Individual clubs have sponsorship deals with gambling companies, displaying their logos on team jerseys.

The Australian Football League and National Rubgy League have an “official wagering partner”, whose logo is displayed prominently. The number of gambling ads on TV has grown from 374 a day in 2016 to 948 in 2021. Turn on the TV and you’re four times more likely to see a gambling ad during a sports broadcast than during other programming.

Reasons why gambling should not be abolished