It’s the end of the of the world as we know it.

… but hey, at least you can bet on it?

“We let adults have a punt if they want to,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese when announcing a series of gambling reforms in Australia earlier this month that have been deeply criticised by … well, everyone.

From fellow politicians and the national online gambling regulator to those who have lost everything to gambling addiction  - even the gambling bodies themselves are annoyed by restrictions they claim overstep people’s individual choice.

Yet the Australian Labor Party had to do something following Peta Murphy’s “you win some, you lose more” report in 2023, which made 31 recommendations like introducing a total advertising ban, launching a national regulator, and limits on in-play betting (to name a few).

While we've seen an attempt to shift the responsibility of gambling harm away from the individual and towards a critical public health issue, as the days, weeks, months, and eventually years ticked by, this seemed like less and less a Parliamentary priority for everyday Australians.