‘I am troubled’: Ex-PM John Howard joins calls for gambling ad ban

Former Prime Minister John Howard has joined dozens of prominent Australians in calling for a total ban on gambling advertisements. He lent his voice to an open letter published on Saturday which demands both major political parties commit to a three-year phased-in ban to address the country’s “gambling addiction”. Alongside more than 60 signatories, Mr Howard said he was “troubled” by the message being sent to young sport fans. “As an unapologetic sports fan I am troubled by how advertising is now linked with all our major sporting codes and what message this is sending to our children,” he said. “Many Australians are alarmed about the proliferation of gambling advertising on our screens and the mounting losses through gambling. “Our political leaders should follow the courageous example of the former New South Wales Premier, Dominic Perrottet.” The decision by Australia’s second longest-serving prime minister to throw his weight behind the campaign comes after reports the Labor government will propose a cap on television advertisements instead of a total ban. In June last year, a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry chaired by late Labor MP Peta Murphy made 31 recommendations, including a phased, comprehensive ban on all gambling advertising in all media. Mr Howard and the other signatories of the open letter by the Alliance for Gambling Reform are calling for all 31 recommendations to be adopted by both the Albanese government and the opposition. Other prominent signatories include former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, several former NSW and Victorian premiers, former Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, and a string of independent MPs. “Our children are also being targeted by the tsunami of gambling ads that assault our screens, especially around coverage of our major sporting codes. It is ensnaring a whole new generation of gamblers,” the letter reads. “We the undersigned urge the government and the opposition to publicly commit to the swift adoption and implementation of all 31 recommendations of the Murphy Report parliamentary inquiry into online gambling.” Alliance for Gambling Reform chief executive Martin Thomas said both the government and opposition had a “once-in-a-generation chance” to end the vicious cycle of gambling harm. “Australians lose $25 billion a year to gambling. But the real cost of inaction is financial ruin, mental health problems, suicide, and the family and domestic violence that gambling can exacerbate,” he said. “A total ban on all gambling advertising is essential to stop gambling companies targeting our children. Any decision to simply cap advertising, or limit a blanket ban to only social media, would be a win for vested interests and leave Australians exposed to significant harm.”