Australia Bans Gamble Responsibly Tagline in Advertising

One of the essential elements of a mature and safe gambling industry is how we support those participants who find themselves at risk. Online gambling regulators like the UK Gambling Commission, Swedish Gaming Authority and Malta Gaming Authority emphasise community safety, demanding ready access to responsible gambling tools and support networks.

However, regarding advertisements on above-the-line media channels like television, every second of airtime is both costly and a chance to "seal the deal". This cost has seen many advertisers toss in a haphazard "gamble responsibly" at the end of an ad to meet the bare minimum legal requirement.

 So Far, and No Further, Mate

In a landmark ruling, the Australian government has moved to ban the use of "Gamble Responsibly" in favour of several more direct and somewhat negative statements.

The newly minted slogans focus on pushing a stark reality view of gambling and betting and include:

• "Chances are you're about to lose."
• "You win some. You lose more."
• "What's gambling really costing you?"
• "What are you really gambling with?"

To address the rushed way advertisers currently share responsible gambling statements, the law now requires that the taglines be read slowly and moderated to ensure potential patrons hear the messaging clearly.

The revised advertising standards also require all ads to include information about safe gambling resources in a large font. Information on responsible gambling resources must cover at least one-third of the available screen size.

What Sparked This Fire?

At face value, these new standards might seem aggressively anti-gambling. However, one could argue that it is with good cause. The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation found that nearly 950 gambling ads are shown daily on free-to-air television channels.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said:

"Evidence and research clearly show the 'gamble responsibly' message doesn't do the job of getting people to think and to minimise harm. So, the new taglines, which were agreed with all state territories and the Commonwealth, are evidence-based, and they actually have been shown to work."

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, legal gambling cost the populace more than $25 billion in a 24-month period, not to mention what was spent playing at unlicensed offshore gambling sites. These losses put Australia at the top of the losses-per-capita charts globally.

 Is This Only The Beginning?

While many praise the government for taking the initiative and driving this grassroots reform, some say it is not enough. Australian Independent MP, Andrew Wilkie, is pushing for more widespread reform, including a total ban on gambling adverts during family viewing hours.

Some of the other proposed reforms are:

• A formal national regulator
• Increased community support from gambling revenues
• Reduced maximum bet limits
• Nationwide loss limits
• Removing problematic features like autoplay
• Daily gambling ad limits

Reform is a necessary part of the maturation of any industry, and we can only hope that while Australia seeks to protect at-risk community members, it does not trample on the rights of those players who gamble responsibly and the businesses that provide that service.