The Australian federal government’s long-awaited gambling reforms are facing widespread criticism as frustration mounts across the country. Critics claim that the measures do not go far enough and fail to address the rising societal harms across the country. Many believe that there is a gap between what was proposed and what is actually needed to protect Australians.
Gambling Losses Continue to Mount
The Albanese government introduced its legislation to Parliament on July 2, with the prime minister promising the toughest action on gambling in Australia’s history. Within days, however, the proposal was pushed into a Senate inquiry, a move that highlighted just how contested the reforms had become. Now, the future of the country’s gambling regulation is again unclear.
Many critics contend that the government has been too slow to act even as gambling losses continue to rise. Research from the Australia Institute estimates Australians have lost more than AUD 104 billion ($72 billion) on gambling from July 2023 to July 2026, an average of AUD 666 million ($462 million) per week. These staggering losses have convinced many that gradual, measured change is no longer enough.
Labor’s bill does include some notable restrictions. It would limit the timing of gambling ads, ban radio advertisements during school pick-up and drop-off hours, and prohibit betting promotions on sports stadiums and team jerseys. The changes, effective January 1, 2027, represent a meaningful step forward. However, many see them as a partial solution to a much larger problem.
Critics Are Asking for Harsher Measures
Much of the backlash has centered on comparisons to the Murphy review, a sweeping inquiry run by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy. The report made 31 recommendations to protect public health, including a total ban on gambling advertising, the establishment of a national regulator, and stronger consumer safeguards. Many advocates see it as the blueprint for effective reforms.
According to critics, the current legislation does not match Murphy’s recommendations. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has been especially vocal, arguing that the bill was ineffective. He asked why the government has not implemented the review’s recommendations, adding that stricter, more ambitious reforms could easily gather the needed political support and lead to meaningful change.
“The number of Australians affected is easily measured in the millions, and what does the government do? It brings out this half-arsed set of reforms that will do very little to address gambling addiction in this country.”
MP Andrew Wilkie
Outside of Parliament, there is increasing concern that the social costs of gambling are becoming impossible to ignore. Tim Costello, who leads the Alliance for Gambling Reform, described the scale of losses as a national tragedy, saying the figures reflected a rise in financial ruin, family breakdown and mental health issues. For advocates such as Costello, the steady growth of online betting only makes the debate more urgent.