Labor’s plan to restrict gambling ads will reduce spending by just 0.8%, government analysis says

The Albanese government’s plans to restrict gambling advertising will reduce Australia’s annual gambling spending by $62.7m a year – or just 0.8% – according to a government report which said a full ad ban would have had “a higher net benefit” but a large burden on media and sporting codes.The report from Anthony Albanese’s Office of Impact Analysis (OIA) also revealed podcasts, app stores and even the NRL and AFL websites will be subject to Labor’s gambling reforms, which ban online wagering ads unless those platforms build an opt-out feature for adults.The prime minister last week announced a suite of reforms to tackle online gambling ads, following mounting public and parliamentary pressure for change. The government had taken nearly three years to respond to the committee report led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, whose recommendations included calling for a full ban on online gambling ads.The government on Tuesday published a report from the OIA – part of the prime minister’s department – analysing Labor’s policy. It found the changes “will deliver a meaningful reduction in wagering advertising exposure” and cost around $10m per year to regulate.Under the policy announced by Albanese and the communications minister, Anika Wells, gambling ads will be banned on television during sporting broadcasts and capped between 6am and 8.30pm, and banned on radio during school drop off and pick up times. The legislation will also ban celebrities and sports players from appearing in gambling ads and odds-style ads, ban ads from stadiums and on players’ uniforms, and will ban keno-type products.The OIA regularly analyses and assesses the impact of government policies. Its report, released on Tuesday, provides previously unreported details of the policy, including more on the “triple lock functionality”.That change would ban online gambling advertising by default on all online platforms, unless the platform can prove the target of advertising is over 18 years old, that they must be in a “logged-in” state, and that users are allowed to opt-out of wagering advertising.This was understood to refer to targeted ads on social media and websites, but Guardian Australia confirmed the “triple-lock” ban is also intended to apply to podcasts and social media pages sponsored or supported by gambling companies.Many of Australia’s most popular sporting podcasts, panel shows and social media creators are sponsored by wagering companies.The OIA report confirms that the ban will extend to streaming services such as 7plus and Netflix, podcasts, social media, app stores, and sporting code websites – including the AFL and NRL apps and websites.Asked about the gambling ad ban’s interaction with podcasts and social media shows, Albanese indicated specific details would be considered when the legislation for the changes is introduced into parliament in May.“All of those matters will be considered. But the framework we have is very clear. I think it’s a comprehensive response and will be a positive way forward,” he said on Tuesday.The OIA report said the changes would impact 2,461 industry members, including wagering companies, broadcasters, podcasters and streaming services.The infrastrcuture and communications department commissioned a report by the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) to estimate the socio-economic impact of a full ban and two partial ban scenarios – not the government’s policy. The OIA analysis used the range between the two estimates to approximate the benefit, which it said will reduce gambling expenditure by $62.7m.A full ban, according to the AGRC’s report which has not been released, would decrease yearly public spending on gambling by $109.5m – or 1.4%.The analysis also specifies social media personalities, including the Inspired Unemployed and basketball star Shaquille O’Neal, would be banned from appearing in wagering s, as the “use of such figures has been argued to strongly appeal to children and young people”.Albanese told the National Press Club this month that the legislation presented a “balance” between allowing adults to “have a punt” and “making sure that our children don’t see betting ads everywhere they look”.The impact analysis states, “while a full ban was identified to have a higher net benefit, it would also impose a significant financial burden on industry which would impact Australia’s grassroots sport and media industry”.