12 August 2026
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) Chapter of Addiction Medicine says the Gambling Reform Bill does not go far enough to protect children, families and communities from gambling harm.
Professor John Saunders, President of the Australasian Chapter of Addiction Medicine, says that as the Bill stands now, it is ineffective and not fit-for-purpose.
“If the Australian Government truly wants to do everything in its power to protect children and families from gambling harm, an outright ban on all gambling advertising is necessary.
“Evidence shows gambling advertising drives harmful gambling behaviour, yet the government is proposing piecemeal, band-aid solutions that will do little to prevent gambling harms.
“Addiction medicine specialists, psychiatrists and public health medicine specialists agree the government must do more to prevent gambling harms, particularly in areas of prevention.
“Whilst we welcome the Bill’s intention to reduce gambling harm, the evidence is clear that simply introducing partial restrictions to gambling advertising leaves out key initiatives that can actually make a difference.
“As it stands, children and the wider community will continue to see substantial gambling advertising on streaming platforms, which are increasingly becoming the platform of choice for Australians, because the Bill only offers restrictions for gambling advertising on TV.
“There must be a ban on gambling inducements or incentives, that actively encourage gambling, including bonus bets, sign-up offers and deposit-matching offers, and there must be bans on advertising jackpots. These are also not included in the Bill.
“The Bill has proposed time restrictions from 6am to 8.30pm on gambling advertisements and five-minutes on either side of live sporting matches but have no restrictions outside these hours. Anyone who has watched a footy match knows these guardrails are ineffective.
“The government needs to approach the prevention of gambling harms from a whole-of-society perspective. The onus should be on the government to regulate gambling advertising, not on individuals to self-regulate.
“Rather than implementing the evidence-based recommendations of its own inquiry into gambling harm (the Murphy report, 2023), this Bill continues to normalise gambling advertising, missing an important opportunity to meaningfully reduce gambling-related harm.
“Australia has the largest per-capita gambling loss in the world. It is a responsibility of the government to be fully committed to prevention and implement solutions that are backed by evidence.
“We look forward to working with the Federal Government to implement legislative solutions that prioritise the health of Australian children, families and communities,” says Professor Saunders.