Media Release: Where is State Ban on Gambling Sponsorship and Advertising and Advertising in State-Owned Venues?
Image courtesy: Victorian State Government: https://lovethegame.vic.gov.au/
Where is State Ban on Gambling Sponsorship and Advertising in State-Owned Venues?
Tuesday, 18 August 2026
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today will pursue the Rockliff Government over its failure to comply with a Legislative Council resolution requiring a six month update report to be tabled in the Parliament detailing progress on the implementation of a gambling advertising and sponsorship ban across all State-owned and funded venues, as well as players’ uniforms.
“Tasmania could and should have been leading the way in disrupting the current and damaging social norm that betting and sport go together no matter any delays in the Federal Government getting its act together,” Ms Webb said.
“In December last year, the Upper House passed my motion calling for the Tasmanian Government to implement within one year a ban on gambling advertising in all state-owned or funded venues, and also to prohibit gambling sponsorship on players’ uniforms.
“By my calculations, the six-month deadline for the parliamentary progress report was June 2, yet there has only been radio silence from the Rockliff Government since.
“This is yet another example of the arrogant Rockliff Government treating the Parliament with contempt by thumbing its nose at formal resolutions passed, and another example of gambling corporate interests being placed before the Tasmanian community’s best interests.”
Ms Webb said Tasmania was meant to be well down the track of having mandated gambling advertising-free State-owned and funded venues established well before the end of this year, without having to wait for Federal reforms.
“Tasmanians want and deserve to be able to go to their local grounds and cheers on their teams secure in knowing that there at least they will be free of betting advertising around the ground and on their favourite players’ uniforms.
“The only reason we may need to rely upon the Federal Government’s reforms in this area, is because of the lack of leadership from the Rockliff Government.
“Even should the Federal gambling advertising reforms pass the Australian Parliament, they will not be implemented until much later than by the end of this year, which was the timeframe required by the December 2025 Upper House resolution.
“Today’s motion provides the Rockliff Government with a second chance to put Tasmanians’ interests before the gambling industry’s and to comply with a formal Parliamentary resolution,” Ms Webb said.
Text of Ms Webb’s motion to be debated by the Legislative Council today:
I (Ms Webb) give Notice that tomorrow I shall move that the Council —
- Notes on Tuesday 2 December 2025 the Council passed a resolution calling on the State government to introduce within one year a complete ban on gambling advertising and sponsorship at all state-owned or state-funded venues including the Macquarie Point Stadium, and on players’ uniforms, and further to table an implementation progress report within six months of the passage of that resolution;
- Further notes the six month deadline was 2 June 2026, however the State government has not yet tabled the requested implementation update as it was called on to do by this House;
- Recognises the Federal Government’s gambling advertising reforms announced on 2 April 2026, will partially implement recommendations of the 2023 House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs report You Win Some, You Lose More – Inquiry into Online Gambling and Its Impacts on Those Experiencing Gambling Harm, and do not preclude the state taking immediate action for state-owned of funded venues;
- Reaffirms that publicly owned state venues should prohibit gambling advertising and sponsorship that normalise or glamorise wagering, consistent with the clear public health responsibility to avoid promoting activities known to cause harm;
- Notes with grave concern the failure of the State government to acknowledge or address the December 2025 resolution passed by this House;
- Formally requests by Thursday 10 September 2026 the State government provides to this House a comprehensive response to the 2 December2025 resolution, and which is to address both:
- That resolution’s call for gambling advertising and sponsorship at all state-owned or state-funded venues, and on players’ uniforms; to be prohibited; and
- An implementation timeframe update.
