Australian Greens spokesperson for sport and gambling, Senator Richard Di Natale, today announced a Greens bill to restrict the promotion of betting odds in sport.

"People hate being bombarded by messages to bet when they just want to enjoy a game of footy or cricket,” said Senator Di Natale.

“Today I’m announcing a bill that would ban the broadcast of all betting odds during sports or sports related programming. It was also ban the advertising of betting odds on television, radio and online.

The Australian Senate today voted in favour of a motion from Greens Senator, Dr Richard Di Natale, to conduct an inquiry into the impact of advertising and promotion of gambling on sport.

“As a sports tragic and former VFA footballer I am committed to maintaining the integrity of our major sporting codes.

“But turning a footy match into an interactive gambling experience brings with it the increased risk of match fixing. Revelations today about links between organised crime and sporting codes should demonstrate just how real that threat has become in Australia.

Greens spokesperson for both gambling and sport, Senator Richard Di Natale, said today that he would move for an inquiry into the promotion of gambling in sport.

“Sports betting advertising is out of control and kids are finding it hard to know where a game of sport ends and gambling begins,” said Senator Di Natale.

“10 years ago kids used to collect footy cards, now they follow the odds of their favourite player winning the Brownlow.

Christine Milne, Adam Bandt and Richard Di Natale commented on the poker machine reform passed in the House of Representatives today.

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Subjects: poker machine reform

Clubs Australia have unveiled a $2 million public relations campaign which attempts to paint Clubs Australia as the champions of action on problem gambling.
 
Greens’ gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, today said that Clubs Australia's attempt to paint themselves as the good guys in the pokies debate is galling.
 
“This is a cynical exercise by an industry who wants to protect its profits at the expense of problem gamblers and their families,” said Senator Di Natale.
 

Greens gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, said today that Jeff Kennett should resign from the Board of beyondblue.

“Jeff Kennett should be congratulated for his role in building beyondblue, but his position with that organisation is now untenable,” said Senator Di Natale.

“His willingness to join the Board of Sydney Star Casino’s operating company is simply the last straw.”

Greens gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, welcomed Tony Abbott’s concerns around online gambling but accused him of rampant hypocrisy.

“Tony Abbott declared today that he will oppose the liberalisation of online gambling because he doesn’t want to turn every phone into a poker machine. That’s welcome news but Mr Abbott stands in the way of any meaningful reform of real poker machines.

Greens’ gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, urged the government not to proceed with live online betting during sporting events.

“These changes lower the bar for live online gambling and there’s little doubt that more people will gamble on sport if they can bet during a game with the click of a button,” said Senator Di Natale.

“There’s also a real concern that people will chase their losses as momentum shifts in a game.

Australian Greens’ spokesperson for gambling and Senator for Victoria, Dr Richard Di Natale, today called on the Victorian Labor Party to get behind the Melbourne Greens by-election candidate’s push to put $1 bet limits on pokies in Victoria.

“The Victorian Labor Party has an opportunity to show some leadership on pokies,” said Senator Di Natale.

“If Cathy Oke is elected to the Victorian Parliament in the Melbourne by-election, she will introduce legislation that would apply $1 bet limits to all Victorian pokies.

Greens’ gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, said he is wary of any move to liberalise online betting during live sport.

“Online in-play betting has the potential to create a new generation of problem gamblers by encouraging the average punter to chase their losses as momentum shifts between teams, ” said Senator Di Natale.