Tuesday marks 1000 days since late Labor MP Peta Murphy presented the You win some, you lose more report into online gambling harm. Acknowledging the milestone, Independents Kate Chaney MP, Andrew Wilkie MP and Senator David Pocock have renewed their commitment to hold the government to account until meaningful reforms are implemented.

Ms Chaney will introduce her Stop the Gambling Ads private member’s bill today to end online gambling advertising. The bill enacts Recommendation 26 of the Murphy Report, by phasing in a complete ban on ads for online gambling services over three years, including free-to-air television, streaming services, social media, and around sporting fields.

Adding to the growing evidence base of gambling harm in Australia, recent research details the novel marketing approaches by gambling companies targeting women and young people.

A Deakin University study of 525 women aged 18–40 years, examined how women interpret gambling advertising and marketing, and the role it has in shaping attitudes and behaviours toward gambling. The study drew on examples of ‘female-friendly’ social media promotions, influencer and celebrity endorsements, partnerships with women’s sport, and novelty markets such as betting on reality TV and award shows to draw women into gambling. Women consistently described these strategies as making gambling more relatable, appealing, and socially acceptable within their everyday lives.

The research shows that gambling marketing and promotions are reshaping how gambling is perceived by women, increasing the social acceptance and appeal of gambling for women while downplaying the risks of harm.

A second study, also conducted by Deakin University, details the impacts of novel gambling marketing strategies on 18 to 30-year-olds who gambled online at least once in the last year. The study found the normalisation of gambling for young people was achieved through marketing strategies such as inducements and celebrity endorsements. Participants described inducements as effective in increasing the frequency and amount of being, often beyond what the individual had originally intended. While celebrity and influencer endorsements were widely perceived as effective in promoting gambling brands, particularly among younger audiences. The preliminary findings also note that gambling is embedded within social environments; it can be a shared experience with family and friends on special occasions, and the focus of social media chat groups.

The researchers behind these studies will meet with Members and Senators on Wednesday at the second mee ng of the Parliamentary Friends of Gambling Harm Minimisation, co-chaired by Ms Chaney, Simon Kennedy MP and Dr Mike Freelander.

Comments attributable to Professor Samantha Thomas, Professor of Public Health and gambling expert at Deakin University:

“The Murphy Report made it clear that partial advertising restrictions won’t work. The findings of our latest research show why - because gambling promotions now extend far beyond traditional advertising into influencer content, public relations campaigns, and partnerships with women’s sport.”

“This research shows that while regulation has stood still, the gambling industry has moved rapidly to target new audiences – including young women. Without decisive government action, more groups will continue to be drawn into harm. The Murphy Report provided clear recommendations for preventing gambling industry harm. What’s missing now is government action to implement these recommendations.”

“Young women in our study described how influencer marketing, social media promotions, and links to women’s sport are making gambling feel normal, relevant, and even empowering. These findings reinforce the Murphy Report’s call to reduce the pervasive reach of gambling marketing in everyday life.”

Comments attributable to Independent Member for Cur n Kate Chaney MP:

“I’ve been fighting for gambling reform for 1000 days, and I’ll continue to fight for as long as it takes the Albanese Government to enact meaningful gambling reform.

“This kind of government inaction and delay breeds cynicism and erodes public trust. It is inconceivable that any government would be silent when the social, emotional and financial impacts are so widespread and there is broad community support for reform.

“I’m doing the work, even if the government is not. My private member’s bill to end online gambling ads is needed to stop children and young people from being groomed to gamble as they watch their favourite sports, tv shows and YouTube channels.

“This new research highlights the widening gap between what the evidence tells us about gambling harm and the lack of government ac on. With every day of delay, the gambling industry expands its reach. We must ask ourselves whether the kind of society we aspire to live in is one that reinforces gambling as a socially acceptable activity for young

Australians. Comments attributable to Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock:

“The Albanese Government should be ashamed of the huge amount of harm done to Australians due to their lack of action on gambling advertising over the past thousand days that they’ve sat on the Murphy Review recommendations,” ACT Independent Senator David Pocock said.

“To see gambling companies now targeting women in the same way big tobacco did back in the day is troubling and wouldn’t have happened if the government had acted. “There is no excuse for ongoing inaction. Australians overwhelmingly support a full ban on gambling advertising, and the Albanese Government needs to get on with delivering it.”

Comments attributable to Independent Member for Clark Andrew Wilkie MP:

“Professor Thomas’s research gives us a valuable understanding of the increasingly sophisticated ways gambling companies are targeting women. Indeed, they are deliberately engineering products to draw women in, and the Federal Government is letting them get away with it. “Gambling companies are getting a new market hooked on their dangerous products to chase further profits, and they don’t care about the damage to the community.

“By doing nothing the Government is complicit in this predatory behaviour. It’s yet another reminder of the need for bold reform, including banning gambling advertising.”