Pope Francis saddened by sports gambling advertising - Pontiff's warning is nowhere more pertinent than Australia
Alliance for Gambling Reform
The Alliance has welcomed Pope Francis condemnation of gambling advertising in which the pontiff said he was sad to see football matches and sports stars promoting betting platforms.
In a message to social justice groups, Pope Francis, expressed deep concern with online gambling and the misuse of networks, which affect not only the poorest sectors of society but all social classes.
“It makes me so sad to see football matches and sports stars promoting betting platforms,” he said. “That’s not a game; it’s an addiction… taking money from people, especially the workers and the poor … it destroys entire families,” Pope Francis said.[1]
He called for social movements to “expose the mental illness, despair and suicides caused by the fact that in every house there is a casino through the cell phone.”
Pope Francis appealed to the entrepreneurs of information technology, digital platforms, social networks and artificial intelligence saying they had an obligation to prevent the networks from being used to disseminate gambling, child pornography or facilitate organized crime.”
The Alliance’s Chief Advocate, Rev. Tim Costello, said the Pope’s warnings were never more pertinent than in Australia today.
“Not only do Australian’s lose more to gambling than any other country in the world per capita, it is no coincidence that our screens are swamped by gambling advertising – more than a million every year,” Rev. Costello said.
Australian’s gambling losses have soared to $32 billion. These new horrifying figures increase pressure on our political leaders to make urgent reforms to limit gambling harm including a total ban on gambling ads.
“These latest horrifying loss figures and the warning from Pope Francis underscore the importance of the Federal Government adopting all 31 recommendations of the Murphy Report including a full ban on gambling advertising on broadcast media and online. It also proves the need for a national strategy on gambling and the formation of a national regulator,” Rev Costello said.
“The Albanese Government has been sitting on the recommendations of the Murphy Report for more than 14 months now, it is time for action, it is time for political leadership to protect Australians and especially to protect our children who are being groomed to gamble by a ruthless, profit-hungry industry.”
The latest poll by Red Bridge shows that 72% of Australians are in favour of a full gambling ad ban.
The Murphy inquiry, chaired by Labor MP, Peta Murphy, and unanimously supported by inquiry members from both sides of politics, found that the “inescapable torrent” of gambling advertising is normalising online gambling and its links with sport, grooming children and young people to gamble, and encouraging riskier behaviour.
Gambling harm is a massive public health issue, linked to poor physical and mental health, poverty and homelessness, criminal activity, family violence, and suicide.
Exposure to advertising can normalise gambling participation, lead to early uptake of online gambling and increased risk of harm and can encourage impulse betting and continued and intensified wagering.
Tim Costello is available for interview on 07 3180 0630 or media@agr.org.au
The latest loss figures are available at: Gambling: Australian gambling statistics | Queensland Government Statistician's Office (qgso.qld.gov.au)
About us:
The Alliance is a national advocacy organisation which works to prevent and minimise the harm from gambling. Our aim is to remove the shame that surrounds gambling addiction, have the problem treated as a public health issue, and achieve the legislative changes needed to protect our communities. We bring together well over 60 organisations who share the objectives of preventing harm from gambling.
Contact details:
media@agr.org.au – 07 3180 0630