Key Points
- Almost half of those who gambled are classified as being at some risk of gambling harm.
- Independent MP Rebekha Sharkie is calling for a ban on credit cards being used for online gambling services.
- In the coming months, the federal government will implement the first national self-exclusion register, BetStop.
Three-quarters of Australians adults have gambled at least once in the past year while almost two in five gamble weekly, new data shows.
The Australian Gambling Research Centre found lotteries and scratchies were the most common products used (64 per cent), followed by racing (38 per cent), sports betting (34 per cent) and pokies (33 per cent).
Almost half of those who gambled were classified as being at some risk of gambling harm, including mental health issues and unmanageable debt.
When it comes to gambling ads, three-quarters of Australian adults reported seeing or hearing sports or race betting advertisements at least once a week in the past 12 months.
Two in five were exposed to those ads four or more times a week.
Twenty-one per cent of people were prompted to start betting for the first time after seeing an ad, while 34 per cent increased the amount they spent.
"Exposure to wagering advertising is leading to riskier betting behaviour and escalating the likelihood of experiencing gambling harms," the research centre's executive manager Rebecca Jenkinson said.
"The report also captures the concerns of the Australian public that wagering advertising normalises gambling activity."
Seventy-seven per cent of Australians believe there are too many opportunities to gamble, while 59 per cent say it should be discouraged.
Credit card ban
Independent MP Rebekha Sharkie is calling for a ban on credit cards being used for online gambling services, and she is introducing a private members' bill this week.
Ms Sharkie said Australians were losing money they did not have due to gambling addiction and the federal parliament must take urgent action.
Her proposed legislation would also require companies to share the total amount a user had previously lost every time they opened the gambling app.
People would be required to acknowledge those losses before being permitted to enter another bet.
"If one person pauses to reflect on their gambling behaviour based on this information this bill would be worth it," Ms Sharkie said.
"Per capita (Australians) are the world's biggest losers and figures from 2018/19 show that we lose $25 billion every year."
'It is destroying lives'
Labor backbencher Mike Freelander supported Ms Sharkie's proposed reform and said the Albanese government was committed to reducing gambling harm.
"People are losing businesses, losing their families, losing their livelihoods because of the access to credit cards and use in online gambling," he said.
"It is destroying lives and destroying livelihoods (and) it's long past time for action."
In the coming months, the federal government will implement the first national self-exclusion register, BetStop.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland stopped short of calling on NSW premier-elect Chris Minns to back a statewide rollout of cashless pokie cards.
Mr Minns pledged to rollout a cashless gaming trial on hundreds of machines in a bid to counter former premier Dominic Perrottet's gambling reforms.
Ms Rowland said the NSW Labor leader went to the election with a clear policy.
"People made their decision there. This is an area that is regulated under state law and I expect that he will hold true to his election commitments," she told the ABC.
