Anthony Albanese has bowed to pressure and will limit gambling inducements as part of a deal between Labor and Angus Taylor, even as some Liberals warn it might not do enough to help vulnerable people.
The prime minister and the opposition leader met in Canberra on Monday to negotiate the deal, a week after sensational revelations about illegal drugs, sex workers and alcohol being provided to high-spending gamblers.
A deal to strengthen Labor’s bill, which has been criticised for falling short of the ambition of a parliamentary inquiry led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, is necessary to get the legislation through parliament this week.
Speaking to a meeting of Labor’s caucus in Canberra on Monday afternoon, Albanese promised some limits on inducements – which are designed to keep punters losing money – as well as touting new, but as-yet-unknown, rules on gambling advertising.
Communications minister Anika Wells’ office was contacted for specifics of potential amendments. Coalition sources said Taylor’s meeting with Albanese was “very positive” but stopped short of confirming any deal had been struck.
“This will be the strongest anti-gambling legislation that Australia has ever seen,” Albanese told the Labor caucus on Monday afternoon.
“I’m confident that later in the week we will have the legislation in the House of Representatives with some really practical amendments, dealing with the targeting of advertising, dealing with reducing children’s exposure, and dealing with as well, the full suite of measures in a really practical way.”
He said action on inducements would “get the balance right between people who want to go along and have a punt on a Saturday at the races, but also, that problem gambling is actually dealt with”.
Albanese also told his partyroom the government was seeking agreement with the Coalition on Labor’s plans to cut spending in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, as well as on the news bargaining incentive.
A deal on gambling looks set to be finalised as soon as Tuesday’s Coalition joint partyroom meeting. Any such deal will infuriate the Greens and crossbench, who had demanded much stronger action; Senator Sarah Hanson-Young had earlier urged Taylor not to fold, sending a message to the opposition leader at a press conference: “don’t roll over and let the Prime Minister tickle you on the belly”.
Earlier, Taylor said action on “predatory inducements” needed to be added to the government’s bill.
“We will approach these discussions with goodwill. We want to get a good outcome,” he said.
“We want to get the right outcome for younger, vulnerable Australians. We want to get the right outcomes for those who have gambling addictions and are trying to deal with them.
“We do need to make sure we get the balance right. We understand that personal responsibility is also an important part of this so it’s key to get this right and we will work with the government to do that in so far as that’s possible.”
But some Liberal MPs want the opposition to go further, even potentially shifting from an opt-out model for gambling ads on streaming platforms to an opt-in system. That proposal would be fiercely opposed by the industry.
The gambling industry was increasingly resigned to the paring back of inducements ahead of parliament resuming on Tuesday, but wagering sources warned MPs that restricting inducements could send gamblers to offshore operators.
Labor sources said the government was willing to deal with either the Coalition or Greens on the bill. But the Greens want even further-reaching changes, meaning the more likely pathway to passing the bill is with Taylor.
Debate on the bill was supercharged by sensational evidence from former NRL player Luke Bateman and veteran anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello last week.
They alleged problem gamblers had been supplied with cocaine, alcohol and sex workers, part of efforts from gambling company VIP managers to keep big-spending punters betting as long as possible.
Betting giants who appeared before the inquiry said there was no evidence to support the allegations.
In June ۲۰۲۳, Murphy’s committee recommended the government “prohibit all online gambling inducements and inducement advertising, and that it do so without delay”.
