The International Olympic and Paralympic Committees must ban sports betting and forbid gambling companies taking up sponsorship and marketing opportunities around next month’s Winter Games.
The Alliance has joined a global coalition of NGOs calling on these international committees to provide a gambling free zone around the 2026 Winter Games in the interests of public health and safety.
“Sports betting is the fastest growing form of betting in Australia and gambling companies are using sports to groom a whole new generation of gamblers. There is no place for gambling advertising at the Olympics and Paralympics,” the CEO of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Martin Thomas, said.
“While the IOC stands squarely against match fixing and competition manipulation it allows gambling ads on Olympic programming. This normalises the harms of sports betting and completely contradicts the IOC’s messaging about the importance of health and physical activity.”
Research shows that more than 600,000 underage teenagers (aged 12-17) gamble – 30% of all Australian teenagers. Australian teens are now more likely to have gambled in the past year then to have played soccer, basketball, cricket or any sport.
The letter the Presidents and Director Generals of both the Olympic and Paralympic Committees highlights the many studies that show how gambling can threaten health, leading to increased incidence of mental illness and suicide.
“IOC officials have told us that betting adds to the enjoyment of sports and that advertising sports betting grows interest in sports – this view is mistaken … it is harmful to the point of addiction,” the letter says.
Among the other organisations to sign the letter are Ban Ads for Gambling (Canada), Stop Predatory Gambling (USA) and the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (UK).
Both letters can be accessed here:
Coalition letter to IPC 22 Jan 2026
Coalition letter to IOC 22 Jan 2026
Martin Thomas (CEO) is available for interview on 0477 340 704