AFL criticised for promoting series of bets that have 85% loss rate for gamblers

Analysis of 90 advertised same-game multis from Sportsbet shows only 15% would result in a win

The AFL has been promoting bets that have an 85% fail rate while taking a cut of the losses, drawing criticism from politicians and harm reduction advocates who want such ads banned.

Sportsbet suggests same-game multis during televised coverage, in segments hosted by the former AFL star Nathan Brown. These bets allow gambling on a combination of outcomes such as possessions and goal scorers, and all must succeed before money is paid out.

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Football fans received 11,000 gambling messages in Premier League opening weekend

Study for 5 News warns of ‘overwhelming and inescapable’ betting imagery in the game

Football fans were bombarded with 11,000 gambling messages during the opening weekend of the latest Premier League season, according to a study that warns of “overwhelming and inescapable” betting imagery in the game.

Clubs in the top flight agreed earlier this year to ban gambling firms from sponsoring the front of players’ shirts from 2025, but the research – which analysed social media posts alongside hours of TV and radio – cast doubt on the likely effect of that measure, given the saturation of football with other gambling messages.

the sheer volume of gambling messages;

social media content not clearly labelled as ads; and

insufficient safer gambling messaging.

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News Corp’s sports betting hub criticised by anti-gambling advocates as ‘new low’

Experts say CODE Bet, which assesses wagering markets, could be affected if parliamentary inquiry’s calls are heeded

Anti-gambling advocates have criticised News Corp’s dedicated sports betting coverage website as “a new low” given community concerns about wagering, after a parliamentary inquiry called for ads and commentary on odds to be banned.

The company runs a digital hub for gambling coverage that offers detailed reports, videos, podcasts, previews and analysis on the latest markets and “top offers” from Ladbrokes, Bet365, TopSport and Betr. News Corp has a financial stake in Betr.

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Penrith Panthers grand final triumph could damage Betr after it offered gamblers 100-1 odds on win

News Corp-backed firm offered inducements that attracted record fine and criticism from regulator

The finances of News Corp-backed gambling company Betr’ could take a big hit if the Penrith Panthers win the NRL grand final, due to a generous inducement that attracted a record fine and criticism from a regulator.

When the gambling company launched in late 2022, it offered 100-1 odds on the Penrith Panthers winning a third consecutive grand final with bets capped at $10. A Penrith victory is now short odds and a likely outcome according to most analysts.

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Anti-pokies campaigners bid to stop doubling of machines in two Alice Springs pubs

Northern Territory government approval will be contested at a tribunal, with activists arguing the expansion will hurt Indigenous communities

A Northern Territory government decision to approve a doubling of the number of gaming machines in two Alice Springs pubs will be contested by local anti-pokies campaigners who are concerned the move would further exacerbate social problems.

The challenge to the decisions made by the director of gaming machines, Philip Timney, to expand the number of pokies from 10 to 20 at both the Todd Tavern and Gap View Hotel will be heard in the NT civil and administrative tribunal on Friday.

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Australia news live: Brisbane to undergo ‘mock earthquake’; Coles profit up to $1.1bn

Supermarket operator posts 4.8% rise in full year cash profit, lifted by strong rise in groceries revenue. Follow today’s live news updates

AEC monitoring disinformation about electoral processes

Rogers said the AEC has seen an increase in mis- and disinformation over the last few years, particularly around the electoral process itself.

It’s all about the electoral process. We’re seeing an increase in [disinformation]. We’re seeing an increase in threats to staff. Which is very disappointing. And we’re monitoring that very closely.

At the last federal election, we had similar issues. We’re seeing behaviours we haven’t seen previously. The people who work elections are community members … Treat people with respect and civility.

We’re ready for it whenever it may be. That’s what we do in any case. We’re used to these events when we don’t know the date until a few weeks out. We’ve got all systems go.

We would ultimately like the rate to be exactly the same as the general roll, but it’s very close.

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‘Tone deaf’: MPs call for University of Sydney to return gambling research money

Independents Zoe Daniel, Andrew Wilkie and others say university’s Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research’s funding from casino and gambling companies should be scrapped

The University of Sydney’s reputation has been tarnished by its partnership with Australia’s biggest sports gambling companies, according to multiple federal MPs who want hundreds of thousands of dollars to be immediately returned to bookmakers.

The university has announced its Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research will be funded by a $600,000 investment from the International Centre for Responsible Gaming, which the university has described as “a global leader in research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling”.

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AMA tells University of Sydney to ‘read the room’ over research funded by gambling industry

Head of Australian Medical Association says university should 'reflect on the credibility’ of industry-funded studies

The Australian Medical Association has demanded the University of Sydney “read the room” and reconsider its decision to accept hundreds of thousands of dollars from the gambling industry, while the Greens want the money immediately returned.

The university’s Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research was launched this week after receiving a $600,000 funding commitment from the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), which the university has described as “a global leader in research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling”.

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University of Sydney gambling research centre bankrolled by casinos is ‘troubling’, experts say

Institution says companies won’t ‘constrain or edit’ research, but public health expert Sean Cowlishaw calls funding relationship ‘unprecedented’

Public health experts have criticised the University of Sydney for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from some of the world’s biggest gambling companies and casinos, which are bankrolling a new research centre that will examine their conduct.

But the researchers and the university believe the partnership will produce more useful research that limits consumer harm, and one of the gambling companies involved has warned against “emotional rhetoric” from critics.

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Firm behind ‘voice of gamblers’ group co-owned by betting industry consultant

Gamblers Consumer Forum aims to derail planned betting reforms and claims to act on behalf of ordinary punters

The company behind a lobby group that wants to derail planned overhaul of UK gambling laws and claims to act on behalf of ordinary punters is co-owned by a consultant for the betting industry.

Ministers proposed a series of changes in April that they said would make gambling safer by imposing tighter regulations on online betting firms, though they added that further consultation was needed before a bill could be put before parliament.

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‘Should be closed after midnight’: experts warn 4am pokies closures in Victoria will do little to stop harm

Proposed mandatory closing times will still allow 361 venues to remain open after 2am, data suggests

More than 360 Victorian poker machine venues will be allowed to stay open past 2am, with experts warning proposed reforms to force 4am closures will do little to tackle gambling harm.

The Andrews government on Sunday announced widespread proposed gambling reforms, which include requiring all venues to close for at least six hours each day, from 4am until 10am.

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Betting firm logos shown on TV up to 3,500 times in Premier League matches, study finds

Average was once every 16 seconds across 10 matches last season, with a total of 3,522 in West Ham v Chelsea

Betting company logos appear as often as 3,500 times during the course of a televised football match, the majority on pitchside hoardings, prompting renewed scepticism about top-flight clubs’ plan to give up front-of-shirt betting ads only.

A study led by psychology experts from four universities measured the volume of gambling adverts during 10 matches that took place last season, featuring every Premier League club.

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Victoria to crack down on pokies with load-up limits, mandatory closures and slower spin rates

Premier Daniel Andrews says reforms ‘will provide the strongest gambling harm preventions and anti-money laundering measures in Australia’

Mandatory closing hours, slower spin times and smaller spending limits will be used to minimise gambling harm in sweeping gambling reforms across Victoria.

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, and the gaming minister, Melissa Horne, announced a series of reforms for electronic gaming machines in the state on Sunday.

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Head of NSW cashless gambling panel wants trial extended to thousands more pokie machines

Michael Foggo says more venues would provide better data and that he hoped to report back that the scheme reduces harm

The head of a panel to oversee a New South Wales trial of cashless gambling on 500 poker machines would like to see it expanded to include at least 2,500 more to enable “proper research analysis” of the scheme.

Michael Foggo, a former liquor, gaming and racing commissioner, said he also hopes to report to the state government next year that “cashless gaming works”.

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NSW appoints former gaming commissioner to lead panel into cashless gambling trial

Michael Foggo to help oversee the delayed pilot program, now expected to begin before November

Former New South Wales Liquor, Gaming and Racing commissioner Michael Foggo will lead a panel of 16 to design and oversee the state’s government’s delayed cashless gambling trial, which is now expected to begin before November.

The appointments will be made today by the premier, Chris Minns, who will also announce a departmental review of the ClubGrants scheme that critics have argued is used by some clubs to funnel money back towards themselves with little transparency or oversight.

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New register allows gamblers across Australia to ban themselves from all online wagers

The ‘Betstop’ scheme to be launched next month enables self-exclusion from all online gambling sites using just one form

Australians will soon be able to ban themselves from all online gambling companies in every state and territory using just one form, almost five years after legislation was introduced to parliament.

A national self-exclusion register for online gambling dubbed “BetStop” will be launched on 21 August, the federal government says.

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Advocates call for levy on gambling company earnings to fund addiction rehab

Australian parliamentary inquiry recommends levy but some public health experts warn it could be ineffective unless carefully designed

Gambling companies should be forced to pay for rehabilitation centres, new consumer rights groups and legal services via a levy on their earnings, according to harm reduction advocates.

A federal parliamentary inquiry has recommended the government introduce the levy, without specifying what the rate should be. But some public health experts believe the levy may be ineffective unless carefully designed.

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Australian teens ‘inundated’ with gambling ads with YouTube most common platform, report states

At-risk children between 12 and 17 reported seeing promotions from a wide range of sources including their homes, school and social media

Young people are being “inundated” with gambling ads in their everyday lives, particularly sports betting ads and social casino games, amid unprecedented levels of exposure for at-risk adolescents.

Children between 12 and 17 who are at risk of becoming problem gamblers reported a wide range of sources that promote gambling, including in their home, school, social, digital and media environments.

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Recovering gambling addict targeted by bookmaker a day after complaining about harmful treatment

Mark Kempster continues to receive unsolicited betting emails despite being listed on self-exclusion register

A recovering gambling addict who revealed the damage caused by unsolicited gambling inducements has been directly targeted by bookmakers, just one day after publicly complaining about the harmful practice.

Mark Kempster has repeatedly asked gambling companies not to contact him with special offers and is listed on a self-exclusion register, but his details continue to be shared with bookmakers who are eager to lure him back to betting.

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Barnaby Joyce and Keith Pitt oppose total ban of online gambling ads

National party MPs argue it is a ‘legitimate industry’ and that it should be ‘managed appropriately’ to avoid commercial stations suffering

National party MPs Barnaby Joyce and Keith Pitt have warned against a total ban on online gambling ads, arguing it is a “legitimate industry” that can be managed with less extensive measures.

The pair are the first federal MPs to caution against the plan proposed by a parliamentary inquiry, which has raised concerns from television broadcasters about loss of gambling ad revenue.

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