Sport binds communities together and underpins many of the values we share. It teaches kids how to work together, solve problems and be gracious in defeat.
But more and more sport is being used to advertise gambling. 3 in 4 kids now think gambling is a normal part of sport.
The gambling industry spends millions on advertising every year to be the backdrop of iconic sporting moments. Even if we don’t watch sport, gambling ads are played on repeat during our favourite family programs.
Gambling ads make gambling look exciting and risk-free, but gambling is addictive and harms millions of Australians. Gambling ads are often placed when and where children and teenagers will see them the most.
Australians should be able to enjoy their favourite sports, gambling ad-free. Instead, sporting bosses exploit the trust of fans by selling sponsorship and advertising to the gambling industry, turning stadiums into gambling billboards and spruiking gambling odds to kids.
The facts are in: the more gambling ads kids see, the more likely they are to gamble. Yet a 12-year-old today has never even seen a game without gambling ads.
We stamped tobacco out of sport. Now let's tell our political leaders, sporting codes and broadcasters to #EndGamblingAds!