Coalition MPs cross floor over ‘weak’ gambling crackdown as major parties strike deal
Labor’s bill to restrict gambling ads is set to pass this week, with the Greens calling the agreement ‘cowardly’ Two Coalition MPs have crossed the floor after a deal between the major parties to pass Labor’s new restrictions on betting advertising and inducements, which the MPs say are too “weak” and place “too much faith in the hands of the gambling companies”. Anthony Albanese and the…
Labor’s bill restricting gambling ads is set to pass this week after a deal between the major parties, with two Coalition MPs crossing the floor. The agreement between Anthony Albanese and Anika Wells, the communications minister, marks the most significant reforms to online gambling in Australia's history. The legislation will include changes to ad timing rules and some restrictions on inducements, while the communications regulator will establish an opt-out register for Australians to opt out of receiving gambling ads.
However, the register could take up to 12 months to set up, and the industry has questioned the practicality and cost of the system. The Greens and independent senator David Pocock condemned the deal, calling it a "betrayal of all Australians" and "tinkering" that didn't go far enough. The reforms were passed on Thursday, one year and 149 days after Labor's report on gambling harms recommended a total ban on inducements and wagering ads.
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