A parliamentary inquiry in Australia has recommended a total of 31 wide-ranging changes to the country’s gambling industry, including the creation of a new national online regulator and a crackdown on advertising.

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs’ chair, Peta Murphy, said Australia has a “weak and fragmented” regulatory framework that shows “inconsistency” across states and territories.

She added there is “little incentive” for states and territories to impose tougher regulations or licensing fees, with the Northern Territory Racing Commission subsequently becoming Australia’s “de facto” online gambling regulator.

The Committee says the national regulator would have the sole purpose of reducing harm and would be responsible for all licensing and regulation. It wants the regulator to be able to monitor online gaming, ensure compliance and “enforce the law.”

“Penalties should be severe enough to be a genuine deterrent to multinational corporations breaching their legal obligations,” the Committee’s report added.

A national ombudsman that would sit within the national regulator has been recommended by the report, which says the regulator’s work would be reviewed two years after introduction and every five years after that.

Advertising crackdown recommended

The Committee has also recommended a “comprehensive ban” on all forms of gambling advertising to be implemented in four phases over three years.

Phase one would see the prohibition of all online gambling advertisements and adverts on social media, as well as removing advertising during news and current affairs broadcasts and between 8.30am and 9am, and 3.30pm and 4pm – the latter recommendation targeted at avoiding children’s exposure to adverts.

Phase two would prohibit all online gambling advertising and commentary on odds, during and an hour either side of sports broadcasts. All in-stadia advertising, including logos on player uniforms, would also be removed.

In the Committee’s proposed phase three, gambling advertising bans would be extended to between 6am and 10pm, with the ultimate phase four aim of the “prohibition on all online gambling advertising and sponsorship.”

“A phased, comprehensive ban on all gambling advertising on all media – broadcast and online, that leaves no room for circumvention, is needed,” Murphy said.

“The advertising ban should be enforced sequentially, with advertising that has the highest risk of harm to be addressed immediately.”