‘Appalled’: SA health leaders pan new national gambling reforms
South Australia’s gambling reform advocates and peak medical body say the federal government’s response to an online gambling harm inquiry – released more than 1000 days later and on Federal Budget day – is a let down, leaving children at risk.
The state’s leading health experts are critical of the Australian government releasing its response to the You win some, you lose more inquiry into online gambling harm 1049 days after an inquiry calling for a total gambling advertising ban was handed down.
Late Labor MP Peta Murphy handed down the parliamentary report on gambling reform in June 2023, which included recommendations for a national gambling regulator and a ban on gambling ads among the 31 recommendations.
But it was on Tuesday while the media was focused on the release of the Federal Budget that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament the reforms “get the balance right” and would “empower all Australians to opt out of gambling advertising”.
The nine-page response released on Tuesday outlines a plan to restrict all gambling advertising on broadcast television to no more than three advertisements per hour per channel and ban advertising during live sports events between 6:00am and 8:30pm.
It would also ban all wagering advertising in sports venues and on official player uniforms include opt-out rules for online promotions.
But Flinders University addiction specialist Professor Michael Baigent was “appalled” the government did not act on recommendations for a national online gambling regulator and total ban on gambling ads.
“When I first heard that they were enacting some reforms involving reducing the advertising for gambling I was thrilled. But then, when I looked at what they were doing, I was appalled,” Baigent said.
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“It really shows that they’re not addressing the issue that gambling, for many people, is actually a health issue.
“It’s not a moral issue. It’s not a matter of being fun police, it’s a health issue and they are not addressing that seriously.”
According to data from the state government’s Here for the Game campaign, South Australians lost more than $424 million on online sports betting, racing and novelty betting in 2022-23, while more than one million gambling ads aired on free-to-air TV and metropolitan radio in the same time frame.
Baigent has been actively involved with gambling harm research and treating South Australians dealing with addictions for 25 years , saying the prevalence of gambling harm was increasing among young people exposed to online sports betting.
He provided position statements calling on the government for a total ban on gambling advertising through The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
“A lot of the gambling advertisements that are being produced now are designed to addict people, particularly online forms. They have inducements. They target people. They make it hard for them to stop,” he said.
“The crises people usually present with is suicidal ideation, relationships under threat, financial strife, and domestic violence issues.”
Research from the Australian Gambling Research Centre in 2025 showed an estimated 3.1 million Australians had experienced gambling related harm, while Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that for every individual at high risk of gambling harm, up to six other individuals can be affected.
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The South Australian Council of Social Service CEO Dr Catherine Earl welcomed the removal of betting ads from stadiums and uniforms but said the reforms would not adequately protect South Australians from “relentless exposure” to online gambling.
“Gambling, financial counselling and domestic violence support services are already overstretched. We need to do more to reduce gambling harm before it occurs and the community supports this,” Earl said.
Australian Medical Association SA president Associate Professor Peter Subramaniam said the cost of gambling harm “far outweighs” any revenue it generates.
“While there are some sensible measures [in the report], the absence of a national independent regulator and any pathway to a total ban on online gambling advertising is a significant gap that will continue to leave vulnerable people — including children and adolescents — at risk,” he said.
“Gambling has long been part of Australian culture, but the scale and reach of the industry today, particularly online, is driving harm across the community.
“Doctors are seeing it firsthand: financial distress, family breakdown, mental health crises, and in some cases, suicide.”
But the federal government remains confident the reforms will minimise the harm and exposure to Australians, with a ministerial spokesperson saying the government was “proud of this work and the balance it strikes”.
“The government has been very clear on the strong action we are taking to protect Australians, particularly children and young people, from the harms of gambling,” the spokesperson said.
“The new reforms to gambling will minimise children’s exposure from the harms of wagering advertising, break the link between sports and wagering, reduce the saturation and targeting of wagering advertising.”
The reforms are expected to come into effect on January 1, 2027.
Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858, gamblinghelponline.org
National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007
Lifeline: 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
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