The Albanese government is facing fresh scrutiny over its proposed gambling reforms after independent MP Allegra Spender challenged ministers on the omission of key recommendations from the Murphy Review into gambling harm.
During Question Time, Spender pressed the government on why its exposure draft legislation does not include a ban on gambling inducements and related advertising, despite the measure being recommended by the landmark parliamentary inquiry.
“The Murphy Review recommended the immediate banning of all inducements and inducement advertising, but these recommendations are not included in your exposure draft bill,” Spender told Parliament.
“Will the Albanese government act to outlaw these inducements that drive problem gambling?”
The Murphy Review, released following a comprehensive examination of gambling-related harm in Australia, identified inducements such as sign-up bonuses, free bets, cashback offers and promotional credits as significant drivers of gambling participation and addiction.
Responding on behalf of the government, Communications Minister Anika Wells said Labor remained committed to reducing the impact of gambling on Australian communities through a broader package of reforms.
“We are addressing a significant package of measures across the report’s recommendations to reduce harm from gambling,” Wells said.
The minister outlined a series of measures aimed at tightening regulation of the sector, including reducing the volume of gambling advertising, strengthening enforcement against illegal offshore operators, enhancing the national self-exclusion register BetStop, protecting sports integrity and addressing emerging online gambling products.
The government also plans to ban online Keno services and increase oversight of lottery-style products that regulators believe may pose risks to consumers.
However, critics argue that leaving inducements untouched undermines the effectiveness of the reforms. Public health advocates have repeatedly warned that promotional offers are among the industry’s most powerful tools for attracting new customers and encouraging existing gamblers to continue betting.
The exchange highlights the growing political pressure on the government to take a tougher stance on gambling advertising and consumer protections, particularly as concerns about problem gambling continue to rise across the country.
Australia has one of the highest rates of gambling expenditure per capita in the world, with billions of dollars spent annually on sports betting, gaming and wagering products.
With debate over gambling reform intensifying, the government now faces mounting calls to explain why some of the Murphy Review’s most significant recommendations have not been included in its legislative agenda
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