Australians overwhelming in support of banning gambling ads

Australians are known as some of the most prolific gamblers there are, but the nation is increasingly beginning to scrutinize the gambling industry closer and asking for more to be done in reigning in the spread of offshore and illegal gambling platforms.

The recent probes into Crown Resorts and Star Entertainment are helpful, bringing out fresh industry sores to public scrutiny, but they are also an opportunity to move past questionable practices of the past.

Now, according to a new study by the Australian Institute, a think tank, the public may actually be ready for that change. The organization surveyed more than 1,000 people in a recent online poll, in which it asked participants five questions related to certain types of TV advertising.

Effectively, the Australian Institute wanted to know if the public would agree with banning tobacco, junk foods, alcohol, fossil fuels, and notably gambling ads. The people who responded with "total agree" for the tobacco and gambling ads sat at 74% and 71% respectively – the strongest approval rating.

Junk food ads were backed by 66% in cases where children would be watching. Only 11% of the people surveyed said that they were against banning gambling ads. This resonates with a larger effort by the government and industry to keep gambling advertisements limited and follow a strict preset of rules established in each of the nation’s states.

The survey also offered a breakdown of those against and for bans on certain ads based on their political affiliation and affinity. For example, One Nation supporters were the least likely to oppose a ban on gambling advertisements, whereas non-affiliated supporters or just listed as "Other" were the most likely to vote for a ban on gambling ads. The Greens were the second biggest political group to plump for a ban on gambling ads.

Australia has a long and complicated history of gambling. The nation is said to be the biggest spender on games of chance which translates to disproportionate gambling harm experienced by society. Children are exposed to gambling from an early age, which has been linked to risks of developing gambling addiction later in life.

Meanwhile, regulators in Queensland and New South Wales have stepped up their efforts to bring questionable casino practices to account and overhaul the industry. But more needs to be done besides clamping down on overseas junket operators who used local casinos to move millions of dollars.

Australia needs to come up with a coherent response to tackling gambling-related harm, which is going to be difficult. Banning gambling ads might be a step in the right direction, but it needs to be done in a way that does not backfire.

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