A total ban on gambling advertising is imperative
April 13, 2026
Anglicare Tasmania is urging the federal government to implement a total ban on gambling advertising, ahead of a series of free community events this week that explore the harms caused to young people by online gambling, including sports betting.
The coordinator of Anglicare’s Social Action and Research Centre, Mary Bennett, described the measures announced by the Prime Minister on 2 April as disappointing and inadequate.
“The measures do not reflect the recommendations of the Murphy Report, or polling by the Australia Institute that found that 76% of Australians want a total ban on gambling advertising phased in over the next three years,” she said.
Government needs to step up, listen to the community and prioritise the Australian people over corporate lobby groups. Gambling is a highly addictive product that must be treated in the same way as we treat other addictive products, such as tobacco and alcohol.
“Online betting is disproportionately harming young people,” added Ms Bennett. “It’s jeopardising their personal relationships and their ability to participate in work and community. We must do more to prevent them from experiencing gambling harm in the first place, and to support them to recover if they have already been exposed to it”.
A study published last year by the Centre for Social Policy Research at the Australian National University (ANU) indicated a substantial increase in online gambling in the 12 months to January 2025, and an intensification of the harms associated with it, including loneliness and psychological distress. Meanwhile, recent research from the Australia Institute shows that Australian teenagers are now more likely to gamble than play organised sport.
Youth Network of Tasmania (YNOT) CEO Tania Hunt says in 2022 her organisation held a series of statewide consultations about gambling with young people in the 12-19 age group.
“The young people we spoke to were generally very aware that gambling can become problematic and that it can inflict damage on families and individuals,” she said. “They also told us there needed to be more educational resources on this topic, and they wanted to have a say in how these materials are designed and distributed”.
Gambling reform advocate Mark Kempster of Hobart will share his personal journey of recovery from gambling addiction at community events hosted by Anglicare in Hobart this week.
“I placed my first sports bet at the age of 15,” he said. “I was a sports-obsessed teenager; I thought betting was normal. By my thirties I’d lost $100,000 to gambling. It had a devastating impact on my mental health and nearly cost me my family.
I want to show people that if we pull together as a community and demand change from government, there is hope for our young people.
CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform Martin Thomas says community conversations about gambling harm have never been more important.
Our children are being bombarded by gambling ads — consequently, we now have 600,000 under-18s gambling in Australia,” he said. “The long-term consequences are devastating: domestic violence, mental health impacts, children going without food on the table, and at worst, suicide. A complete ad ban is long overdue to protect our kids.
Find full details of the free community events here on Eventbrite. There are still limited seats available.
Anglicare Tasmania’s Gamblers Help service can support families and young people who are being harmed by online gambling. Phone us on 1800 243 232 for a confidential chat.
