Gaming industry representatives faced questioning at a Senate inquiry over advertising and promotions feeding those with a betting addiction.
Sportsbet and Tabcorp executives were among those questioned at the inquiry as a bill to tighten gambling advertising undergoes consideration in parliament.
Today's hearing followed Monday's session, in which senators heard testimony from individuals affected by gambling harm.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young used that session to tell reporters the drafted laws would fail to protect Australians.
"The fact that people will still be bombarded with gambling ads online on streaming services, that there is no national regulator, and that people will be subjected still to the predatory and highly targeted inducements, it is heartbreaking."
Hanson-Young came to today's hearing with direct questions for Sportsbet about its advertising conduct.
"The young man we heard of yesterday had a gambling addiction. He was force fed advertising and promotion and injunctions from your company. From Sportsbet," she said.
"We know the regulations are not there. Your industry only gets to survive based on the social licence that you have — and you are on very thin ice."
The industry's response was to defend its record while pushing back on the legislation's drafting.
Jules Norton Selzer, director of corporate affairs at Sportsbet, raised concerns about the definitions in section 62C of the proposed laws, which would ban sports stars, celebrities and influencers from gambling advertising.
"The policy intent we are supportive of, the issue is around the definitions,” he said.
“Anyone with an Instagram account could be classed as an influencer under the legislation.”
Kai Cantwell, CEO of Responsible Wagering Australia, repeated the concern.
“We need further clarity and definitions to 62C,” Cantwell told the hearing.
On the question of advertising volume, Norton Selzer argued Sportsbet had already taken significant steps, telling the inquiry the company had proactively reduced its free-to-air advertising by 60%.
"We recognise at that point, in 2022-2023, that there was an excessive amount of advertising,” said Norton Selzer.
“We've taken measures to significantly reduce our advertising, in particularly free to air environments. It's down about 60% since the Murphy inquiry started.”
Independent senator David Pocock pressed Norton Selzer on whether those past reductions, and ongoing measures, would address the broader issue of children's exposure to gambling advertising.
"You are creating brand loyalty in the under ten market," said Pocock.
"We have no objective to advertise to underage people," replied Norton Selzer.
"It's not your objective, but you are advertising to children and it's having an impact. Why on earth should we allow you to advertise Friday night footy if this is the result?" said Pocock.
To illustrate his point, Pocock tabled footage from racing.com showing a bet365 advertisement featuring children as young as 12.
"This is from a video that's available on racing.com and it shows a promotion from bet365,” he said.
“A relay race between some young adults and children, some who look as young as 12 years old, have been dressed in bet365 branding.
“Is it responsible for bet365 to be dressing children in their branding?"
Executives declined to respond to the advertisement.
Pocock raised a complaint he'd received that illustrated how gambling advertising was reaching children beyond sport.
"I had a constituent get in touch who said they heard a Sportsbet ad between Disney songs on Spotify,” he said.
“How's that happening if you're telling me you're not targeting children?"
The independent senator closed by rejecting the wagering industry's defence, summarising the advertising restrictions would need to be tightened further.
"You keep telling us we're a great industry, we're doing all of these things — and as soon as I bring something up, it's Spotify's fault, it's the parents' fault. This just does not cut it," said Pocock.
"This whole thing just reinforces how brilliant the Murphy report was in saying 'get rid of all gambling ads' — it's the only way to do it.
“Because otherwise we're caught in this thing where you're just exploiting every single loophole available."
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