By The Guardian (World News) | Created at 2024-09-30 15:05:18 | Updated at 2024-09-30 21:38:41
6 hours ago
Gambling reform campaigners have accused wagering companies of “showering” federal politicians with hospitality as the government considers advertising restrictions, with new data showing betting groups have given numerous free tickets to MPs.
New analysis from the Alliance for Gambling Reform, informed by a new database collecting all federal politicians’ updates to their parliamentary register of interests, shows at least 19 have accepted hospitality from wagering companies to attend major events including the Melbourne Cup, Australian Open, AFL matches and cricket games.
Federal politicians contacted for response said they followed parliamentary rules in reporting the hospitality on their publicly available register, but Tim Costello, the Alliance for Gambling Reform’s chief advocate, called receipt of tickets and attendance at functions “an undemocratic opportunity to lobby against critical gambling reforms”.
“These results show how our political system can be exploited by the rich and powerful to lobby in secret against popular changes such as the proposed gambling ad ban to the detriment of the Australian community,” Costello claimed.
The AGR has been one of the strongest advocates for tougher restrictions on wagering advertising, as the federal government considers its long-awaited response to late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s parliamentary reporting recommending a ban on gambling ads.
The group has launched a new online tool called Influence Engine, which lets users quickly search for terms listed in the federal register of interests.
AGR used the new tool to search how many politicians had accepted hospitality or gifts from major betting agencies like Tabcorp and Sportsbet.
It found at least 19 politicians across both Labor and the Coalition had declared receiving hospitality or tickets from Sportsbet and Tabcorp in this term of parliament since 2022.
Nearly all the disclosures were in 2022 and 2023, with few this year as the gambling ad issue became a major political flashpoint. Around two-thirds of disclosures were made by Coalition politicians, with one-third Labor. No independent or minor party politicians disclosed gambling hospitality.
The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, responsible for formulating the government’s policy on gambling ads, disclosed in 2022 that Tabcorp had gifted her hospitality and five tickets to an Australian rugby test match, and to a Melbourne Cup carnival race day at Royal Randwick.
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, also disclosed two tickets from Tabcorp to the Melbourne Cup in 2022.
Rowland’s spokesperson said the minister complied with all relevant guidelines for financial disclosures and followed rules set by the Australian Electoral Commission. They also noted she announced in 2023 she would “no longer accept donations or hospitality from gambling companies”.
Littleproud said he would be “happy to have” a meeting with Costello to discuss gambling reform.
“I have been clear from the start I am not against gambling and the role it plays in supporting sport, but I am against the sheer quantity of ads that families have had to endure. This is why the Coalition moved to reduce the amount of advertising we see on TV through legislation,” the Nationals leader said.
The NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, the trade and tourism minister, Don Farrell, and the Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie each disclosed tickets to the 2023 Melbourne Cup from Tabcorp.
McKenzie also disclosed tickets to an AFL match from Sportsbet, as well as a box of chocolates from industry peak body Responsible Wagering Australia.
Shorten also disclosed that he attended the Australian Open in 2024 as a “guest of Sportsbet”, as did the Victorian Labor senator Raff Ciccone.
“My policy decisions are not influenced by declared gifts or hospitality such as the Chairman’s lounge,” McKenzie said, saying she was a long-term supporter of racing and AFL.
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“I reject the assumption that parliamentarians can be automatically swayed by attendances at major sporting events or gifts of chocolates. The real question that should be being asked is: what is not declared?”
The shadow sports minister, Anne Ruston, declared Australian Open tickets from Sportsbet in 2022 and 2023. The Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie declared a ticket and hospitality from Sportsbet for an AFL game in September 2023. McKenzie, who has spoken of concerns about gambling addiction and ads, said the wagering company was “fully aware of my opinion on sports betting advertising, both before, during, and after the hospitality”.
Guardian Australia approached all politicians noted in the AGR analysis. Many declined to give an on-record response or did not respond, but several said accepting hospitality had not affected their stance on the gambling ad debate.
Others noted that such analysis of the register was only possible because parliamentarians were required to disclose gifts and hospitality, saying that was a fundamental integrity measure.
Guardian Australia does not suggest any politicians have changed their views based on lobbying or accepting hospitality.
AGR analysis found Tabcorp was the most frequently listed gambling company on the register, having offered sporting hospitality to politicians on 16 occasions since 2022. Sportsbet was listed six times as offering hospitality.
Sportsbet and Tabcorp were contacted for comment. Responsible Wagering Australia CEO Kai Cantwell said donations by the group’s members “are disclosed in accordance with the law”.
“It’s well-established practice for politicians to declare gifts and hospitality they receive on their register of interests. Our members are among many stakeholders involved in consultations with the government and to suggest that this form of engagement will determine an outcome is wrong,” he said.
Cantwell said AGR had “publicly flaunted their direct access to the prime minister and other senior members of the government throughout the consultation process”.
Gambling industry sources said major companies were often transparent about their guest lists, and often invited journalists to enter their marquees or hospitality functions at the same time as politicians.
It’s understood companies like Tabcorp usually invite roughly equal numbers of Labor and Coalition politicians to events.
Costello said he was concerned that hospitality and tickets “often leads to increased access for lobbyists and industry representatives to politicians”.
“This results in legislative priorities being pushed forward or diluted. Politicians may be less inclined to introduce or support stringent regulations on gambling if they have received benefits from industries such as big gambling,” he claimed.
