Michelle Rowland Believes Banning Gambling Ads in Australia Will Not Be Easy

A week ago, Australia’s House of Representatives approved the ban on using credit cards to gamble online. However, another much-discussed ban, the ban on gambling advertisements, might prove to be a trickier matter.

Michelle Rowland, Australia’s communications minister, commented on the matter, saying that the implementation of such a ban might prove to be very tricky. During the recent National Press Club meeting, she commented on the matter, pointing out that the gambling ads ban might be more difficult to implement than the ban on tobacco ads.

Rowland added that no decision has been made on the recommendation to phase out gambling ads. For reference, the proposal seeks to ban gambling ads within three years, providing gambling companies with ample time to adapt.

Rowland explained that the relationship between the gambling industry and the sports sector has changed a lot over the past three years. She acknowledged the impact of ads on the sports community but insisted that a complete ban would be a challenging undertaking.

Speaking of this, National Rugby League Clubs recently started bracing for the potential ban. Some clubs expressed their hope that the ban, if passed, would contain a grandfather clause that allows them to comply with the terms of their existing sponsorships until they find a new sponsor.

In her speech at the National Press Club meeting, Rowland also addressed the increasing number of BetStop registrants. She pointed out that Australia’s self-exclusion scheme, originally launched in August, is now used by some 13,000 Australians. Rowland added that 40% of these people have opted for a lifetime exclusion from gambling.

BetStop is a scheme that allows Australian customers to exclude themselves from all forms of legal online and phone-based gambling services in Australia. Operators risk huge fines if they allow BetStop registrants to play.

In other news, Michelle Rowland recently came under fire after it became known that she celebrated her previous birthday with representatives of Responsible Wagering Australia. For reference, RWA is a group that represents the interests of several major gambling operators.

In the wake of this news, Kooyong MP Monique Ryan introduced a bill that seeks to make misters’ schedules more transparent to the public and make lobbying efforts more transparent. Ryan admitted that Rowland’s launch with RWA did not violate any rules but said that this was exactly the problem.