Alliance for Gambling Reform

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗥𝗟’𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘀 𝗩𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 The NRL’s season opener in Las Vegas—the global gambling capital—isn’t just about growing the game. It’s about gambling revenue. "The exporting of the opening round to the city that is the symbolic global capital of gambling is simply the natural outcome of a sport that has sold its soul to gambling," says Tim Costello, Chief Advocate for The Alliance. NRL and AFL rake in millions from gambling ads, getting a cut of every bet. Meanwhile, reforms like banning gambling ads—backed by over 70% of Australians—are shelved. "The Prime Minister has shelved any reform, and Peter V’landys is cheering," Costello warns. Taxpayer dollars are even funding the NRL’s expansion into Papua New Guinea, where gambling harm is already rising. We’re not just exporting footy—we’re exporting gambling devastation. https://lnkd.in/gV4WmaS8 It's time to fight back. Donate today. https://lnkd.in/eC3vK8XT

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝘀? Network 10 aired gambling ads during the Formula 1 Grand Prix—breaking clear rules designed to protect the community from gambling harm. ACMA found them in breach, but instead of a penalty, they got off with a warning and a promise to improve. This follows a similar breach by their streaming service last year. How many "warnings" before real action is taken? Broadcasters profit from gambling ads—shouldn’t they pay for the harm they help spread? https://lnkd.in/gutDDUef It's time for stronger penalties. Support The Alliance in calling for real consequences. Donate today. https://lnkd.in/eC3vK8XT

𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝘀 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆? 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽. On Thursday the 13th of February, six Ladbrokes ads aired between 7PM and 8:30PM during Home and Away—a show with a large teenage audience. One of our Voices for Gambling Reform, who counted the ads, asked: "Why are we normalising gambling ads for young people?" Current ACMA rules allow this because Home and Away is rated PG—but so is Frozen. Let that sink in. Just because it’s legal doesn’t make it right. This is why restrictions are not enough we need to #EndGamblingAds. It’s time to put community wellbeing ahead of gambling profits. https://lnkd.in/gDpC-87 Help us push for change. Donate today: https://lnkd.in/eC3vK8XT

𝗟𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝘅𝗲𝘀: 𝗔 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺 A new international study has found that loot boxes in video games share similar risk factors with gambling harm, linking them to anxiety, stress, and impulsivity. Flinders University professor Zsolt Demetrovics warns: “It might produce gambling later in adolescence – it’s an obvious risk.” With Australian teens spending up to $70 a month on loot boxes and one in three children making in-game purchases, the risks are clear. The gaming industry must stop using gambling-like mechanics that lure young players into harmful spending habits. https://lnkd.in/gMrMyZiE The Australian Classification Board took action this month by slapping a mature M rating on all video games containing loot boxes – or in-game purchases linked to elements of chance. Under the new system, video games with in-game purchases linked to elements of chance – such as paid “loot boxes’’ – will receive an M rating for mature audiences. Games that contain simulated gambling, such as casino-style mechanics or in-game betting, will receive an R18+ rating, restricting them to adults. https://lnkd.in/gFd8ssfT While this is a step forward, stronger regulations are needed to truly protect kids from gambling harm. Join The Alliance in calling for urgent action! Donate today: https://lnkd.in/eC3vK8XT

𝗡𝗦𝗪 𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 $𝟴𝗯 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘂𝘀- 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 New figures showing poker machine losses in NSW have reached a record high of $8.64 billion are horrendous and underscore the urgent need for reform, the CEO of the Alliance, Martin Thomas, said. The latest quarterly data from Liquor and Gambling NSW shows a 7 per cent increase in net profits for pubs and clubs – the steepest increase outside of the COVID rebound in at least six years. Mr Thomas said these losses represent social harm on an industrial scale across NSW and were exacerbating the cost of living crisis for countless battling families. “There is clear evidence that a mandatory cashless card with pre-set loss limits would not only reduce criminal money laundering through poker machines but also dramatically reduce gambling harm,” Mr Thomas said. Media Release: https://lnkd.in/gRQensnW SMH: https://lnkd.in/gj23UuVP

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱’𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀: $𝟯.𝟱𝗕 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿! Queenslanders are losing a staggering $3.5 billion a year to poker machines—over $9.5 million every single day. These losses have jumped 46% since the pandemic, hitting communities hard, especially in areas with lower household incomes like Logan, Lockyer Valley, and Ipswich. "The gambling industry is predatory. It targets low-income households in many cases, people who can least afford to lose this money," says The Alliance’s Martin Thomas. With 41,000 pokies in pubs and clubs across the state—not including casinos—the industry is raking in billions while families suffer. The solution? Mandatory cashless gambling cards. These cards, already being introduced in Victoria, allow people to set limits before they play—preventing devastating losses before they happen. NSW is also considering similar reforms after a trial. Queensland must act now to protect vulnerable communities. https://lnkd.in/g9rSsmhH Stop the losses. Protect families. Demand change! https://lnkd.in/eC3vK8XT

𝗪𝗔 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 The WA Government is strengthening gambling laws with tougher penalties and greater enforcement powers. These reforms, responding to the Perth Casino Royal Commission, aim to modernise regulation and deter illegal gambling. GWC Chair Gary Dreibergs says: “The substantial increase in penalties will act as a more effective deterrent and a more appropriate punishment for law breakers.” https://lnkd.in/gwkBUz6r But to truly stop money laundering and protect people from gambling harm, The Alliance recommends a mandatory cashless gambling card with spending limits. This would: ✅ Prevent anonymous cash transactions ✅ Track gambling activity to detect suspicious behaviour ✅ Cut off the flow of dirty money in casinos Support change. Donate to The Alliance today. https://lnkd.in/eC3vK8XT

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗣𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 NSW’s three newest MPs—Monica Tudehope, James Wallace, and Jacqui Scruby—used their first speeches to call out the damage caused by poker machines. The Alliance’s Tim Costello says they’ve shown “more leadership than [Premier Chris] Minns and Labor” on gambling reform. Tudehope highlighted that Australia has “the worst gambling losses in the world,” while Wallace called for technology to be used to “empower people by establishing an effective exclusion register” and self-imposed limits. Scruby pushed for immediate action, saying, “It’s time to reignite the appetite and commitment to reform.” https://lnkd.in/gTghZZfN It’s clear: NSW wants real change. Australia wants real change. The question is, will the government listen? Support the fight against gambling harm—donate to The Alliance today. https://lnkd.in/eC3vK8XT

Queenslanders are losing $3.5 billion a year to poker machines. Don’t miss the #9News investigation tonight at 6pm. Alliance CEO Martin Thomas features in the report—tune in for the full story.

𝗨𝗞 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗳𝘂𝗹 A UK high court has ruled that Sky Betting & Gaming unlawfully targeted a vulnerable gambler with relentless marketing, despite clear signs of gambling harm. Sam, who lost 10 years of his life to gambling, was bombarded with 1,389 promotional emails, even after trying to quit. The company used sophisticated profiling to predict his behaviour—but not to protect him. Lawyer Ravi Naik called the ruling a “death knell for this kind of pernicious activity: tick-boxes, mass surveillance and data sharing, all unbeknownst to the user.” https://lnkd.in/dBmPvHmM This exposes how gambling companies exploit people for profit. Regulators must act now to stop these harmful practices. https://lnkd.in/eyh9w8ZQ Support the fight against gambling harm. Donate today. https://lnkd.in/eC3vK8XT