Government's Gambling Advertising 'Opt Out' Scheme To Be Nearly As Effective As Teen Social Media Ban

WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT

The Federal Government has today confirmed it's closing in on another landmark piece of social reform.

Fresh off the back of its world leading social media ban for teens under 16, the Albanese government is now set to bring in another scheme aimed at curbing the harms of predatory multinational companies and their powerful algorithms.

The PM has confirmed that he and the Coalition are close to passing the 'gambling reform' legislation that will ratify like a couple of the gambling inquiry report's recommendations.

The major pieces of reform heralded by the government is removing commission on losses for VIP managers (which two of the major players have already gotten rid of anyway), limiting advertising a bit on broadcast channels, and creating an opt out register for gambling ads.

The promise of an opt out register that is apparently going to apply to platforms like Facebook and Instagram, comes after the incredibly powerful and successful social media ban that has seen the rate of teens under 16 using social media drop from 85% to 81%!

Hailed around the world as an incredible example of holding powerful social media giants to account, the government is now set to make them enforce an opt out register for gambling ads.

While of course everyone not captured by vested interests suggested the scheme should be an opt in one, the government has explained that that would be way too hard.

Instead, they've opted to tell social media platforms to create a scheme that people who don't want to see gambling ads on social media will opt in to - with nothing offered in terms of a carrot or stick.

The move is being hailed as a win for ordinary Aussies by the commercial Australian media, who may or may not receive large sums of money from gambling advertising.

More to come.