When gambling money floods politics, democracy loses |
Millions in gambling industry donations flow legally to both major parties, even as reform stalls and public concern grows.
Australia likes to think of itself as a robust democracy. Yet the latest publication of political donations by the Australian Electoral Commission should make us pause.
Over the past decade, gambling companies have quietly but consistently poured millions of dollars into the major federal political parties. These donations are legal. But legality is not the same as moral legitimacy or best-practice, particularly when these donations come from an industry that profits directly from social harm.
New research analysing federal political donations between 2014/15 and 2024/25 shows that gambling companies donated more than $6 million to Labor and the Coalition, split almost exactly down the middle. The pattern is bi-partisan and strategic – these companies hedge their bets. Donations tend to spike around federal elections and periods of regulatory debate, precisely when political access is most valuable.
The largest year-on-year increase occurred in the lead-up to the 2022 election and donations have remained elevated since, coinciding with intense public debate about gambling reform and the government’s inquiry into online gambling advertising.
The structure of these donations is also revealing. The vast majority are made by just four players: Tabcorp, Crown Resorts, Flutter Entertainment (owner of Sportsbet and Betfair), and Responsible Wagering Australia (the peak body representing major online betting companies). Together, these entities account for over 90 per cent of all gambling industry donations over the past decade.........