More than two-thirds of Australians advocate for a ban on gambling advertisements on television.
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Ugh, ads! If you're Aussie, you're sick of tobacco, gambling, junk food, and alcohol commercials on the telly, and you'd rather ditch burning fossil fuel ads, too. That's the gist, anyway, from a poll by The Australia Institute on August 29. Dubbed "Give Junk Food & Gambling Ads the Punt," the report delved into Aussies' opinions on junk food and gambling ads on the box.
Out of 1,003 polled, more people supported banning ads for alcohol, tobacco, junk food, and gambling than for fossil fuels. Tobacco bans are already a thing, with 74% still backing them. Gambling ads are next in line, with 71% agreeing they should be nixed. More than two-thirds, or 66%, think junk food ads should be banned, particularly during kids' viewing hours. Alcohol ads are supported for a ban by 51%, while only 41% back fossil fuel advertising. Fossil fuel advertising is the most controversial, with 24% believing it shouldn't be banned at all.
Gambling ad bans garner backing primarily from Independent/Other, Greens, and Labor voters, totaling almost 90%. Fossil fuel ad bans also receive support mainly from the same group.
Aussie Gambling Concerns
Australia's gambling industry has long been booming, but it's got its downsides. A poll from February this year revealed that most AFL soccer fans considered gambling ads a problem, with 37% expressing their concern. Surprisingly, close to 70% of these fans were club members, indicating a serious issue within the league.
Another worrying picture emerged in a study published in May, which highlighted issue of problem gambling among Australian Defense Force (ADF) veterans. The study showed that 13.4% of participants were currently suffering from or had experienced problem gambling within the last year, highlighting a significant impact on veterans.
A comprehensive study on gambling in Australia by the Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) in September 2019 found that 5.2% of the overall population was at some level of problem gambling severity. The data, based on 2018 figures, represented approximately 1.3 million people.
The study cited a 2017 Goodwin research that posited a problem gambler could negatively affect up to six other people. For moderate-risk gamblers, that number was halved, and for low-risk gamblers, only a single person was affected. These numbers predominantly pertain to family members – spouses, children, and sometimes parents.
Given these issues, it's not surprising that so many Aussies support the ban on gambling ads on TV. But let's be honest – who genuinely enjoys ads?
- The gambling industry in Australia has faced increasing concerns, with a significant percentage of Australians, including AFL soccer fans, considering gambling ads to be a problem.
- Surprisingly, around 70% of concerned fans were club members, indicating a serious issue within the league.
- A study published in May revealed problem gambling among Australian Defense Force (ADF) veterans, with 13.4% of participants currently suffering or having suffered within the last year.
- The Australian Gambling Research Centre (AGRC) conducted a study in September 2019, which found that approximately 1.3 million Australians were at some level of problem gambling severity.
- The study also highlighted the drawbacks of problem gambling, suggesting that a problem gambler could negatively impact up to six other people, while a moderate-risk gambler might affect only two, and a low-risk gambler would primarily impact one family member.
