Online gambling ads to include a message on gambling harm

The Australian Gaming Commission is forcing new guidelines on online casinos and online gambling adds for their advertisement. Each ad should include a message on the potential harm of (online) gambling.

A set of nationally consistent messages will be introduced in order to point gamblers at the risks and harm of gambling. These set of messages include:

• What are you really gambling with
• You win some. You lose some.
• Chances are you are about to lose.
• Is this a bet you really want to place?
• What is gambling really costing you?
• Imagine what you could be buying instead.
• What are you prepared to lose today? Set a deposit limit.

The set of messages that will have to be included should point the gambler at thinking about gambling and why they do it. Creating more awareness about responsible gambling should help in the fight against gambling harm. At the moment the message that is mandatory for gambling ads to communicate is just ´´Responsible Gaming´´. From next year sentences like What are you really gambling with should set the gambler more to think about their betting.

Along with sentences like What is gambling really costing you? A “For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au” message should also be included in the gambling commercials. This should provide help for gambler that realise that they have an addiction to gambling and to those that seek for help.

Amanda Rishworth the social service minister argues that gambling is starting to form problems rapidly: “Online wagering is fast becoming an increasing source of gambling and an increasing source of loss for people. We have consulted widely and, importantly, we have used evidence to inform these taglines.”