Arabic version: نائب ليبرالي يدعو إلى إصلاحات أقوى في إعلانات القمار

Liberal MP Simon Kennedy is a passionate advocate for gambling advertising reform. According to ABC News, Kennedy criticized the government’s planned limit to gambling advertisements as falling short.

Kennedy shared a personal experience from high school, recalling how a teacher asked him and his friends for money to gamble. He remembers thinking at the time it was a “little bit strange,” but it was not until after high school that he realized his teacher had a gambling problem. This revelation deeply affected him, leading him to witness the devastating consequences of gambling firsthand. He attended Gambling Anonymous meetings alongside his former teacher and encountered numerous individuals whose lives were disrupted by gambling-related issues.

In light of his experiences, Kennedy urged his colleagues to act as advocates for gambling victims, stating that victims lack representation in the halls of power. He expressed a strong belief that the job of his party and himself is to stand up for those families and act as their voice and lobbyist.

The government is expected to introduce legislation to crack down on gambling advertisements into parliament this week. Communications Minister Anika Wells indicated that the new legislation would not differ much from what the prime minister announced earlier this year. While some restrictions are included, critics like anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello argue that the measures are inadequate and highlight the need for a more robust approach.

The proposed changes include limiting betting agency advertisements on television to three per hour between 6:00am and 8:30pm and banning those ads on the radio during school pick-up and drop-off. However, some independents and the Greens have expressed concerns that these limits are still excessive and have called for a national online gambling regulator as part of the reforms.