House debates Questions without Notice

Gambling

Tuesday, 2 June 2026 House of Representatives

Allegra Spender

Allegra Spender Wentworth, Independent

2:59 pm

My question is for the Minister for Communications. The Reverend Tim Costello today described gambling company inducements, such as bonus bets and boosted odds, as 'the most evil, predatory feature of the gambling industry'. The Murphy review recommended the immediate banning of all inducements and inducement advertising, but these recommendations are not included in your exposure draft bill. Will the Albanese government act to outlaw these inducements that drive problem gambling?

Anika Wells

Anika Wells Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Sport

3:00 pm

I thank the member for her question. Our significant reforms will minimise children's exposure to wagering advertising. They will break the link between sport and gambling, and they will reduce the saturation and the targeting of wagering advertising.

The response we tabled was at the first opportunity granted by the parliamentary guidelines. We tabled it through the usual way, and the action we are taking to protect Australians, particularly children and young people, from the harms of gambling was announced by the Prime Minister at the National Press Club.

We will deliver a significant package, as we announced there, with measures that will reduce the harm from gambling. The package has been carefully developed with harm minimisation at front of mind to stop the deluge of gambling advertising.

Allegra Spender

Allegra Spender Wentworth, Independent

I'm raising a point of order on relevance. The question was specifically about inducements, and that is the question that I'm asking the minister to answer.

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

Yes, the question was 'will the Albanese government act to outlaw these inducements that drive problem—

An honourable member interjecting

Whoever's interjecting while I'm dealing with a point of order can cease. The question also contained a statement by the Reverend Tim Costello and also information about the Murphy review recommendations regarding this topic. The minister was being directly relevant regarding that part of the question.

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House

Just to the point of order, the question concludes with specific reference about what's included and not included in the exposure draft bills.

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

Yes, so the minister is being absolutely directly relevant to that part of the question. If she goes on to other topics, I will draw her back to the question. But at this time she's being directly relevant.

Anika Wells

Anika Wells Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Sport

These reforms are important. The community expects to see them implemented in a timely manner. Stakeholders have been keen to see the detail of the legislation, the exposure draft. We've worked quickly to get that out for consultation. We've announced they'll start from 1 January next year, and we're working to pass that legislation in time for it to start.

The member referred to a particular quote about a particular recommendation, No. 31. We are addressing a significant package of measures across the report's recommendations to reduce harm from gambling. Apart from what I've already addressed, we're going to stop the deluge of gambling advertising; improve enforcement against illegal offshore gambling providers; and strengthen BetStop, the national self-exclusion register. We're going to enhance sport integrity and reduce financial crime risks, and we're going to address emerging online gambling products, including banning online keno, and cracking down on dodgy lotteries.