SA-Best MLC Connie Bonaros’s bill to legislate extended restrictions on gambling advertising on television and radio successfully passed the Legislative Council last Wednesday, and is now making its way to the Lower House.
The Gambling Administration (Limitation on Advertising) Amendment Bill 2024 would extend restrictions on gambling advertising on television and radio when, according to Bonaros, children are most likely to be listening and watching.
The bill states that “[a] gambling provider must not cause or permit gambling advertising on radio or television … between 5.00am and 8.30am an 4.00pm and 8.30pm on any day”, with a maximum penalty of $20,000 for infractions.
However, Bonaros criticised her major party colleagues for the defeat of two other gambling bills she introduced in the Upper House – the Statutes Amendment (Gambling—Mandatory Pre-Commitment System) Bill 2024 and Statutes Amendment (Gambling—Opening Hours and Signage) Bill 2024 bills.
The first bill would have further regulated the use of cashless gaming machines, while the second would have banned the use of gaming machines between 2am and 8am and a further six hours for gaming venues, as well as restricting advertising near the premises.
It comes as data from Consumer and Business Services showed that net revenue from gaming machines in South Australia reached more than $1 billion for the first time last financial year, with InDaily also reporting that some pubs are starting to rethink their gaming rooms.
Bonaros blamed money and influence as the reasons why her bills were not supported by the major parties.
She claimed pubs, clubs, industry groups and large corporations have vested interests in gambling.
“That’s a lot of power and money right there that politicians simply don’t want to piss off,” she said.
“So instead they are prepared to sacrifice the families, who are essentially powerless in these circumstances, and to devastate some communities.”
Both bills were defeated by a margin of 11 no votes and three in favour, with Bonaros praising fellow MLCs, Robert Simms and Tammy Franks, for supporting the bills.
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“You can’t rely on the government and opposition to come together on most things – but you can bank your house on them opposing sensible and modest reforms aimed at reining in the scourge of poker machines,’’ said Bonaros.
“This is a government and an opposition addicted to the huge revenue gambling and poker machines pull in – despite the incalculable damage it does to families shattered by the grip of gambling addiction.”
Bonaros said the public’s view of gambling reform was not on the side of the government and is “certainly not on the side of the opposition”.
“These things are on the nose in the community, and there is one thing and one thing alone that keeps them in our community, and that is the Government’s addiction to the revenue they bring in,” she said.
Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Andrea Michaels MP said that South Australia has some of the toughest gambling laws in the country.
“We have a range of measures in place designed to reduce gambling harm, including our ‘Take a Break’ QR code to be barred from gaming venues, automated risk monitoring of each session of play, as well as mandated facial recognition technology,” she said.
The SA Liberals did not respond to a request for comment.
However, speaking in parliament, Upper House Opposition Leader Nicola Centofanti acknowledged Bonaros’s commitment to gambling reform but said the SA Liberals would not be supporting the bills.
“There are three pieces of legislation which, while absolutely well intentioned, I think together represent a piecemeal approach that focuses on the fringes rather than the real issue at the heart of current and future gambling harm in this state,” she said.
Bonaros said it was impossible to reintroduce similar bills this year with limited numbers of parliamentary sitting days remaining, but said, “Make no mistake, gambling will feature at the next State Election”.