David Pocock condemns Labor-Coalition deal on gambling bill as ‘betrayal of all Australians’
Guardian AU
•Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:11:32 GMT
📰 What Happened
Labor secured the opposition's support to pass its long-awaited gambling reform bill, which restricts betting advertising and inducements, with two Coalition MPs crossing the floor. Communications minister Anika Wells called the package 'the most significant reforms to online gambling in Australia's history', while independent senator David Pocock condemned the deal as a 'betrayal of all Australians' and said he would vote against it for not going far enough. The Greens called the agreement 'cowardly'.
🔍 The Backstory
The bill is the product of years of campaigning to restrict gambling advertising in Australia, one of the world's heaviest gambling markets. Amendments negotiated with the Coalition, including tweaks to ad-timing rules and restrictions on inducements, were seen by crossbenchers as weakening the final package.
🎯 Why It Matters
The legislation is the most substantial reform of online gambling advertising in Australian history, yet its final form has drawn fierce criticism as too weak. The political deal behind it illustrates the limits of reform in the face of powerful industry interests, and the bill's passage marks a significant shift in how betting ads are regulated.
Labor secured the opposition's support to pass its long-awaited gambling reform bill, which restricts betting advertising and inducements, with two Coalition MPs crossing the floor. Communications minister Anika Wells called the package 'the most significant reforms to online gambling in Australia's history', while independent senator David Pocock condemned the deal as a 'betrayal of all Australians' and said he would vote against it for not going far enough. The Greens called the agreement 'cowardly'.
The bill is the product of years of campaigning to restrict gambling advertising in Australia, one of the world's heaviest gambling markets. Amendments negotiated with the Coalition, including tweaks to ad-timing rules and restrictions on inducements, were seen by crossbenchers as weakening the final package.
The legislation is the most substantial reform of online gambling advertising in Australian history, yet its final form has drawn fierce criticism as too weak. The political deal behind it illustrates the limits of reform in the face of powerful industry interests, and the bill's passage marks a significant shift in how betting ads are regulated.