The Albanese Government is prepared to tighten rules on gambling inducements, but is less likely to budge on advertising rules, as negotiations continue on wagering legislation, which so far has lacked the support needed to pass Parliament. Source: The Guardian.
Federal Labor is open to considering amendments to its legislation from the Coalition when MPs return to Canberra this week, sources say.
The government was prepared to make changes around wagering inducements – a focus of parliamentary hearings last week – as part of negotiations, but was less open to tweaking proposed rules on the frequency of advertisements on TV and online.
Additional restrictions on ads are a major demand of gambling harm advocates and the Senate crossbench.
The Coalition, crossbenchers and the Greens have opposed Labor’s reforms as proposed by Communications Minister Anika Wells, meaning the legislation is unlikely to pass in its current form.
Sources said the government was more inclined to deal with the Coalition and would await amendments from the Opposition after its party room met in the nation’s capital this week.
Government frontbencher Jenny McAllister said yesterday that Ms Wells was in discussion with the Coalition and had been “paying attention” to evidence from the recent parliamentary hearings.
Ms McAllister said Labor thought it had “broadly got the legislation right” but was open to “sensible amendments”. “We want to see this through the Parliament,” she said.
Inducements can include perks such as “bonus bets”, promotional odds, rebates or more VIP enticements like hospitality at events.
The landmark gambling reform report from late Labor MP Peta Murphy called for a total and immediate ban on inducements and their advertising. That issue has been a key focus for advocates within the Coalition, crossbench and Greens – and even among some Labor MPs who want the government to go further.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, speaking on the ABC’s Insiders program yesterday, suggested she would support the proposed “opt-out” model for online advertising being switched to “opt-in”.
Ms Wells has previously said the government believes the current proposal strikes the correct “balance” between addressing problem gambling while not unduly penalising media companies and sporting codes which rely on wagering revenue.
FULL STORY
Labor open to ‘sensible amendments’ to gambling laws after inquiry hears alcohol and cocaine offered to punters (By Josh Butler, The Guardian)
