Australian Medical Association criticizes partial gambling ads ban

The voices in favor of a complete ban on gambling advertisements in Australia have been growing and becoming more pronounced.

Now, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has become the latest respectable body to put forward an appeal to the government to act sooner rather than later and do the right thing.

Australian gambling ads ban an ever-growing possibility

In AMA’s case, the right thing would require a full ban on gambling advertisements online to protect vulnerable consumers and ensure that players across Australia are protected.

AMA calls for a ban on gambling advertisements within three years, as suggested by the "You win some, you lose more," parliamentary inquiry report which has outlined a grim reality for Australian customers who are buffeted by incessant gambling advertisements with society ending up picking the bill.

AMA argues that the harm that is done by such gambling advertisements far exceeds any potential benefits in tax revenue. The organization’s President Professor Steve Robson has called equivocation in the matter "extremely disappointing," and urged the government to commit to what must be done.

"The government cannot afford to place the profits of large corporations ahead of Australian communities, particularly socially and economically disadvantaged communities, where the impacts of problem gambling are most pronounced," he explained.

With Australians losing some $25bn to gambling every year, the need to regulate the industry more tightly has been growing exponentially. A new proposal to implement a partial gambling ads ban that would limit gambling ads to two per channel per hour has already been criticized by prominent critics.

AMA and other leaders call for a full gambling advertisement ban

Opposition leaders have called for a global tax levy on tech that would help plug the potential gap left by the withdrawal of gambling sponsorships from free TV. AMA’s position aligns with that of the public and many gambling hawks who have urged the federal government to "resist industry pressure" and act now.

In the meantime, the AMA has called for a "partial ban, no ban at all," arguing it would fall short of properly addressing and reducing gambling-related harm, which originates in the number of gambling advertisements seen by consumers already.

The Albanese government has been accused of acting on behalf of the powerful gambling industry, but lawmakers have refuted those claims arguing that they were worried about unintended consequences rather than catering to lobby interests.

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