Treat gambling harm through a public health lens, parliament told

The powerful online wagering industry should be held accountable by a national, independent regulator as well as an ombudsman, a leading anti-gambling organisation has proposed, as a federal parliamentary inquiry prepares to evaluate options for reform.

The Alliance for Gambling Reform has used its submission to the inquiry to argue there should be a national action plan that treats gambling harm through a public health lens similar to tobacco and alcohol.

The organisation said a co-ordinated national response was needed because the industry was regulated by a messy mix of state, territory and federal laws, while responsibility for preventing harm was vested in the companies who had a “clear conflict of interest when it comes to increasing their profits”.

“In the past year alone we have seen casino reviews in most jurisdictions, evidence of money laundering in pubs and clubs and increased advertising, promotions and inducements from online bookmakers. All reflect a failing regulatory system,” the submission said.

“Ideally, the different processes, legislation, departments and regulatory systems in each state need to be replaced with a single, independent, sufficiently resourced national regulator with gambling harm minimisation at the core of its purpose”.

While casinos and poker machine gaming are governed by state and territory laws, regulation of the booming online wagering industry is largely the domain of the Commonwealth.

The Albanese government’s decision last week to force online betting companies to ditch the “gamble responsibly” tagline in favour of new evidence-backed alternatives fuelled debate about the normalisation of betting within sport, particularly through heavy advertising during live sport broadcasts.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth has said she will wait for the outcomes of the lower house inquiry before determining if further regulatory action is necessary.