Time to look at gambling as a ‘public health matter’ |
The 2026 football season is upon us, that means that, once again, our screens and stadia will be polluted with wall-to-wall gambling advertising.
Not that you would know it from the narrative broadcast by AFL HQ.
Last week, thousands of club members – myself included – received an email from AFL PLAY stating the league’s commitment to health and wellbeing.
“Our commitment to mental health and wellbeing is for every participant’s mental fitness to be protected and promoted through footy,” the email read.
This struck me as … ironic.
As Australians, the so-called “great game” is part of our cultural identity. From kicking the footy as kids, to coaching, umpiring, and supporting our children as they play, to packing the stands at Marvel Stadium and the ‘G’ – Aussie rules is in our DNA.
But while the league is committed to mental health and wellbeing on the field, the experience of watching the game is shaped by something very different.
Millions of spectators across Australia are routinely exposed to a product harmful to our mental health and wellbeing while watching our national game. That product is gambling.
Gambling advertising is a normalised part of sporting culture in Australia.
The federal government’s media regulator has found that we’re exposed to over 1 million gambling ads on free-to-air TV and radio every year.
Despite the........