Gambling ad ban opponents demand alternatives, warning of ‘significant’ impacts
An outright ban on gambling ads would have “significant negative impacts” on the advertising and media industries, groups have warned.
Shockwaves continue to be felt from a bombshell report handed down yesterday by a parliamentary inquiry into online gambling and its community harms.
“We recognise there is community concern in relation to ‘saturation’ gambling advertising which needs to be addressed and we are willing to work constructively with the government to make that happen”
We lean on & celebrate self-regulation, recognise there is an issue, yet haven’t acted is a weird way for industry bodies & gambling brands to respond.
I used to work in advertising and love a cheeky punt – but I’m sorry, we need to think of the thousands of Australian families effected by problem gambling before the poor old media companies
All the talk of “purpose” is a total sham when the industry whines about continuing to pump out the misery-inducing gambling ads.
Australians are the biggest losers: losing more per head to gambling than any other country in the world.
Find your moral compass people.
So what..
Problem gambling is a huge issue particularly for young males.
Perhaps shift your focus to making ads that don’t amplify the propensity for highly addictive and financially devastating behaviour.
> Recent estimates suggest that Australians lose approximately $25 billion on legal forms of gambling every year, representing the largest per capita losses in the world (Queensland Government Statistician’s Office [QGSO], 2021).
$300m is but a drop in the bucket for media agencies compared to the cost gambling has on the lives of many.
We’re at the point where children can’t discuss sports without making reference to their betting odds.
In a disgusting display of hubris, we have bookies employing influential spokespeople who have a public and (self) destructive history of gambling addiction (Here’s looking at you Brendan Fevola).
Much like the ban on cigarette advertising, this should be celebrated as a net positive for society
Those who shout loudest about their innovation are the same who squeal most for retaining the status quo.
hmmm the sky didnt fall in and the sun came up the next day when cigarette advertising was banned. all those vested interest lobbyists are so disengenuous when saying there will be millions of dollars lost in advertising revenue. bollocks there will be an uptake instantly to fill the gap and if not it shows what a flawed business plan these newspapers, broadcasters operat when, by losing one advertising stream their empire will colapse an hundreds will be out of work. its about time this scurge on society is removed, totally, forever
And the sky was going to fall when cigarette advertising got banned too. The industry (and sporting codes) should not be relying on ad revenue from unhealthy, unsafe and unnecessary products which have been shown to cause significant harm to young and old..