The Government of New South Wales in Australia has revealed plans to completely remove, and consequently ban, gambling advertisements across its entire public transport network.
This decision is part of a broader, nationwide initiative to drastically reduce the visibility of gambling promotions and advertisements throughout the state, similar to a recent measure implemented by the state of Victoria in 2017.
More specifically, just as in Victoria, the New South Wales Government will implement strict anti-gambling ad measures that will apply to busses, trains, ferries, and consequently all state-owned station infrastructure.
Along with public transportation, the NSW Government will also encourage managers of private assets in the vicinity of transport hubs to voluntarily comply with the restrictions, allowing each citizen in that position to individually choose whether or not to implement the suggestion.
Jo Haylen, Transport Minister in New South Wales, commented:
Parents are rightly worried about the impact it has on their kids, so it’s not something that needs to be on our transport network.
And the reforms don’t stop there. One report by the New South Wales Crime Commission has identified cookies as one of the easiest tools to launder money, which is why the authority has recommended implementing a cashless gaming framework by the end of 2028.
One of the biggest reasons for this crackdown by the NSW Government is the fact that Australians are at the top of the list for the highest per-capita gambling losses in the world, with losses estimated at a whopping $15.6 billion (AU$25 billion) annually.
This is why many welcome the move by the Government in NSW and view it as a step forward toward battling the gambling pandemic in the country, despite some critics arguing that such a drastic measure has to be followed by systematic reforms in order to address more pressing industry matters.
This ban on gambling advertisements comes in the middle of increased regulatory scrutiny just after the holiday season, a period when operators usually bombard players with special promotions.
As a result, in December of 2024, the New South Wales Liquor & Gaming started a compliance operation for the purpose of battling underage gambling in casinos, imposing strict penalties for breaches, and enforcing strict ID checks.
