Online gambling “reshaping a whole generation” as government reforms fall well short
The government’s latest reforms don’t do nearly enough to protect Australians from gambling harm.
On this episode of Follow the Money, Martin Thomas from the Alliance for Gambling Reform and Morgan Harrington from the Australia Institute join Ebony Bennett to discuss how Australians came to have the biggest per capita gambling losses in the world, how online sports betting is turbocharging the damage caused by gambling, and the government’s straw man argument about “balance” when it comes to reform.
This episode was recorded on Tuesday 26 May.
If this episode raised issues for you, you can call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 for free, professional and confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or visit Gambling Help Online at www.gamblinghelponline.org.au.
If you or anyone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or online at www.lifeline.org.au.
Visit The Point for research, analysis, explainers and factchecks from experts at the Australia Institute and beyond.
Guest: Martin Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Gambling Reform
Guest: Morgan Harrington, Research Manager, the Australia Institute // @mhharrington
Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett
Show notes:
Polling – banning gambling advertisements, the Australia Institute (May 2026)
Teenage gambling in Australia by Matt Saunders and Morgan Harrington, the Australia Institute (April 2025)
Worth a Punt – 2% Levy on Gambling Revenue Could Replace Free-To-Air Advertising Spend by Stephen Long and David Richardson, the Australia Institute (August 2024)
‘A thousand days of inaction on gambling reform’ by Tim Costello, The Saturday Paper (March 2026)
New research shows kids are targeted with alcohol, gambling and junk food ads online, Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education (June 2024)
Football’s secret gambling deal exposed | Four Corners, Australian Broadcasting Corporation on YouTube (June 2023)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to Follow the Money on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Between the Lines Newsletter
The biggest stories and the best analysis from the team at the Australia Institute, delivered to your inbox every fortnight.
You might also like
The sports betting double standard: why our politicians blinked on gambling ads
Everyone with a smartphone walks around with the entire internet in their pocket, but thanks to the gambling industry that also means there’s a casino in everyone’s pocket as well.
Only thing standing in way of gambling reform is government’s cowardice
Australians are the world’s biggest losers. Last year, Australians lost $34.8 billion in bets. That’s more than Australian households spend on electricity and gas ($29.5 billion) or alcohol ($26.8 billion) – so it seems safe to say we have a problem.
Most gambling losses are from at-risk gamblers
Australia has some of the highest rates of gambling in the world, with a third of Australian adults using poker machines at least once a year. But it’s a past-time that could be riskier than you think: At least $10 billion of the $13 billion that Aussies lose on pokies each year comes from exceeding