Gambling companies, broadcasters, sporting codes and global tech companies have all sought or secured meetings with the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, and her staff to respond to a proposed total ban on wagering advertising.
Documents released under freedom of information reveal the wide range of industries worried about a financial hit if the government accepts the recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry into online gambling harm.
The AFL and the NRL, which have argued against an ad ban, have secured two meetings with Rowland or her staff since the recommendation was made.
According to the documents,the gambling companies Sportsbet, Crown, Betfair, Pointsbet, Tabcorp, Betr, BlueBet and Entain, which runs the Ladbrokes and Neds brands, have also discussed their concerns with the minister or her staff.
The gambling industry’s peak body, Responsible Wagering Australia, was asked to provide more information about its opposition to a ban on gambling ads. RWA had already provided a submission to the inquiry and appeared for questioning.
“The information you provide to us will form part of the evidence base for the department’s deliberations on a range of potential recommendations to government later, but our questions do not in any way constitute departmental or government views on this complex issue,” a letter from deputy secretary of the communications department, Richard Windeyer, said.
When the inquiry recommended a ban on gambling ads, RWA’s chief executive, Kai Cantwell, said it was “shortsighted, ineffective and not the answer”.
The broadcasters Channel Nine, Channel Seven, Foxtel, Commercial Radio Australia, SBS and Free TV also secured meetings. In a submission to the inquiry, Free TV, which represents commercial broadcasters, rejected calls for further restrictions and warned free coverage of sport may be cut as a result.
The government has also asked Google, Facebook and TikTok to estimate how much a total ban on gambling ads would cost them. The emails ask the companies to reveal how many children have been exposed to gambling ads on their platforms and whether a ban could be implemented.
TikTok has previously been criticised for allowing gambling companies to advertise on its platform. Wagering companies also advertise their products with Facebook and Google.
The documents also show Greyhounds Australasia cited modelling conducted by gambling companies, claiming a total ban on inducements would lead to “a catastrophic reduction in revenues across the Australian racing industry”. The NSW body cited similar figures.
“Greyhound Racing New South Wales understands an immediate ban on inducements would lead to an approximately 33% reduction in racing and sport turnover from the two largest wagering service providers, Entain and Sportsbet,” a letter from the NSW organisation said.
Gambling companies sought meetings with ministerial staff, while the government sought briefings from around a dozen harm reduction advocates, which the minister attended.
An independent MP, Kate Chaney, who obtained the documents and was a member of the inquiry into online gambling harm, said the government needed to take swift action and adopt the committee’s recommendations.
“Six months have now passed since [Labor MP] Peta Murphy tabled the report in parliament, and the government is yet to announce its response. In the wake of Peta’s death, politicians from across the parliament voiced support for implementing the recommendations in full to her honour her legacy,” Chaney said.
“This is an opportunity for the Albanese government to demonstrate it’s got the guts to stand up to the gambling lobby, and to prioritise our kids, to prioritise community mental health, to prioritise the victims of this insidious industry – by banning the ads that promote online gambling and sports betting.”
A government spokesperson said the wide ranging engagement was necessary as it considers restrictions on the gambling industry.
“The status quo of online wagering advertising is untenable and the government will announce a comprehensive response in due course.”
