MP Jerome Laxale Calls for Action Against Gambling Advertisements
Australian Labor MP Jerome Laxale has voiced his frustration with the Albanese government’s failure to move forward with stricter regulations on gambling advertising.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Speaking ahead of a national election, Laxale has called upon his party to uphold the reform agenda outlined by the late Peta Murphy, a colleague who led an important inquiry into problem gambling. Laxale spoke of his frustration over the presence of betting odds during live sports broadcasts. Addressing voters in Bennelong at a forum organized by local church groups, he said there was “a strong reform package coming” and called for action in honor of the late MP Peta Murphy.
No Action Taken on Gambling Ad Reform
The Albanese government has not included gambling ad reforms in its election platform, which has drawn criticism from health professionals and internal party figures. Many have expressed concern that reforms have been shelved due to resistance from sports organizations and media broadcasters.
A turning point came with a bipartisan inquiry led by Murphy, who passed away in December 2024. The June 2023 report called for a complete ban on gambling ads following a three-year transition and proposed the formation of a national regulatory body. The government has yet to issue an official response.
In recent days, Prime Minister Albanese and senior cabinet ministers have faced repeated questions over their inaction on gambling ads, despite earlier commitments and preparations for reform that never reached parliament.
Late in 2024, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland’s office apologized to several individuals impacted by gambling harm, admitting the government’s reform timeline had taken “longer than hoped.”
Laxale confirmed he had met with Rowland to discuss the matter.
There is a strong reform package coming and I will work incredibly hard to ensure that happens in a second term Labor government. I know that whatever we bring to the parliament – whenever we bring it – will be strong. My role is to try and make it as strong as possible. I watch a lot of sport (…) and like you, I am just as sick of seeing betting odds linked to sport. I know what it is like to sit down and see that and I don’t want gambling embedded in the culture of sport.
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Changes Will Not Be Rushed
Speaking recently, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that “more needs to be done” to tackle gambling harm, but suggested that even with another term in government, changes would not be rushed.
He explained the need to get things right in order to avoid channeling people into other forms of gambling, such as offshore sites.
Privately, other members of the Labor Party have expressed similar frustrations. Last year, MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah said that the government’s approach had been “disappointing”.
In late 2023, fellow Labor MP Mike Freelander voiced support for a complete ban on gambling advertisements, saying it was “the right thing to do” and that many of his colleagues felt the same way.
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