Are we gambling with our future?

As the football season commences, there is a growing call across Australia for more stringent regulations on sports betting advertising to protect young people from the allure of gambling. 

Research conducted by The Guardian between 2022 and 2023 revealed that over one million gambling advertisements were broadcasted on free-to-air television, a significant increase compared to previous years. This raises concerns about whether the nation has become desensitised to the pervasive presence of these advertisements. The issue is particularly concerning given that Australia holds the distinction of having the highest per capita rate of online gambling, according to the ABC. Despite gambling being a strictly adult activity, evidence from the New South Wales government research indicates that exposure to gambling advertisements not only increases the likelihood of gambling but also shapes their perceptions, making online gambling appear more attractive and less risky. This effect is exacerbated by familial influences, with studies indicating that more than half of young gamblers receive encouragement from parents or guardians who engage with gambling to some extent. 

In Victoria, current regulations restrict sports betting advertisements on roads, public transportation, and within a 150 radius of schools. Regardless of these efforts, children and families in Australia are still marginally subjected to gambling marketing, averaging as high as 900 ads per day that are accessible. 

Australia is years behind other countries concerning our current regulations on gambling advertisements.

“These ads are predatory, grooming out society with a glamorous facade that hides the harsh reality of addiction” - Nathan Buckley

One major concern of our at Gambler’s help is the effect exposure of gambling advertisements are having on Australian youth. According to research conducted by Deakin University said that when children spoke of gambling the advertisements made it seen "easy" or "fun" and that it gave the perception that "everyone wins", a false truth often narrated by gambling companies.

At Gambler’s Help, our mission extends beyond providing support to those with gambling addictions; we aim to prevent these issues at their source. We are urging the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to revise the regulations on gambling advertisements, the last of which were updated in 2018. We advocate for a total ban on gambling advertisements on free-to-air television and radio to minimise youth exposure and the normalisation of gambling in our society, parents can only do so much to protect their children from this exposure.