New documents expose the extent to which the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), and leading betting companies ramped up their lobbying efforts to prevent a proposed gambling ad ban in the lead-up to the football finals in Australia. A series of letters, emails, meeting agendas and memos reveal that the gambling industry’s peak body sidestepped the responsible minister and sought direct dialogue with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as shown in parliamentary submissions on Friday (18).
Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) argued, in a letter to Albanese, that gambling products must remain visible to gamblers so they would not turn to illegal operators. RWA also claimed that ad bans could foster cheating in sports and racing. Meanwhile, the PM’s office has been engaged in discussions with gambling reform advocates. These meetings and lobbying efforts were exposed following a Senate order initiated by independent senator David Pocock, who accused the government of kowtowing to the betting industry.
The documents unveiled the betting companies and the NRL and AFL’s keenness to engage directly with Prime Minister Albanese’s office throughout July, August, and September. They reveal that senior staff in the PM’s office met with gambling lobbyists, and the principal private secretary – Albanese’s top political adviser – responded personally to correspondence from the football codes.
Additionally, the documents highlight a September letter from the Alliance for Gambling Reform seeking a meeting with Albanese, along with a meeting between Albanese’s principal private secretary and the Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts group.
The government has faced criticism from reform advocates for prioritising new advertising restrictions, such as frequency caps, instead of implementing a complete ban as proposed by the late Labour MP Peta Murphy. The government has invoked public interest immunity to withhold a portion of the material related to the senator’s request, suggesting that some correspondence may be missing.
However, the released documents reveal a surge in lobbying efforts directed at the Prime Minister’s office by the industry body, as well as the NRL and AFL, throughout 2024.
The politics of gambling advertising in Australia
In March, the head of government relations for RWA – a leading body representing betting companies such as bet365 and Sportsbet – requested a meeting with the PM’s office to address the proposed gambling reforms. RWA followed up with the PMO in April, expressing gratitude for the meeting and highlighting its members’ commitment to exceed existing regulatory standards to mitigate gambling-related harm. In March, a Sportsbet executive sought a meeting to discuss the inquiry’s recommendations. A PMO senior adviser agreed to meet in April.
More meetings occurred in June, July, August and September involving the PMO, the PM and the NRL. The Prime Minister’s office also received correspondence from the AFL on October 1st, following their grand final. Albanese attended both grand finals as the guest of the NRL and AFL. He disclosed receiving travel or hospitality from the leagues for these events, as listed in his parliamentary register of interests that week.
Another correspondence from RWA to the PMO sent on August 12th referenced a closed consultation with the government earlier that month. They asserted that the ad ban would have “irreversible detrimental consequences,” such as increased access to illegal offshore betting companies.
RWA proposed a more viable solution, including age-gating ads to users over 18 and opt-out rules. They expressed confidence in implementing a technical solution with online platforms and publishers by January 2026, while acknowledging the need to suspend gambling ads on any online platform until this capability is implemented.
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