There's one first Australians shouldn't be proud of -- we're number 1 in the world with per capita gambling losses and problem gambling.
Poker machines cause too much damage already. Online gambling -- including sports betting -- can dramatically increase the damage to the community.
In 2011 I introduced legislation to:
The issue of corruption in sport has been most recently highlighted in the February 2013 Australian Crime Commission report 'Organised Crime and Drugs in Sport', which made the damning finding that illicit drug use by athletes left them vulnerable to exploitation for other criminal purposes, including match fixing and fraud arising out of the provision of inside information.
Recently we have seen the issue of gambling advertising in sports broadcasts become a major issue - especially live odds, which are finally being clamped down on. But we need to go much much further.
As a community, we also have to get the advertising of sports betting off the TV, out of the commentary box and away from sports venues. Going to the footy or the cricket should be a family event. It should not be a gambling event. The last thing I want to see is young kids at a football match quoting odds, not player statistics. Gambling shouldn't be normalised in the minds of children through the advertising of sports betting.
If you're fed up with gambling saturating the games we love - drop me a line and let me know. I am working hard to change this and I need your support.
