MEDIA STATEMENT
13 August 2026
I have spent 10 years fighting for stronger protections against gambling harm, both here on the Sunshine Coast and in the Federal Parliament.
This isn’t a position I arrived at yesterday because a Bill is currently before the Parliament.
When there was a push to establish a casino on the Sunshine Coast, I fought it tooth and nail.
We won that fight.
I have also fought for years to stop Australians gambling with their credit cards.
We won that fight too.
So when I say we need stronger gambling reform today, it comes from a long history of fighting for it.
Yesterday I spoke in the House of Representatives about why the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026needs to be stronger.
Australians lose around $36 billion every year to gambling. But behind that enormous figure are families, marriages, children and vulnerable Australians who live with the consequences of ineffective gambling laws.
I told Parliament about meeting an older block layer when I was a young carpenter. He had been forced out of retirement and back into a physically demanding trade because his wife’s gambling problem had cost them their home and their life savings.
I have never forgotten that.
That’s why I want sensible amendments that provide stronger protections without banning adults from having a bet.
I want gambling advertising banned during live and replayed sport, including for an hour before and an hour afterwards.
I want gambling inducements, bonus bets and similar promotions to be expressly opt-in, rather than forcing Australians to opt out to help minimise the predatory behaviour of gambling corporations on young adults, men in particular.
I want gambling advertising on streaming services to be opt-in.
I want us to close loopholes that allow children to continue being saturated with gambling advertising while they watch their favourite sports.
When nearly 80 per cent of Australians agree that we need stronger regulation of gambling advertising, Parliamentarians should sit up and take notice.
There aren’t many issues in Australian public life where you get that level of agreement. We disagree about tax, energy, migration, housing and almost everything else, but on gambling reform Australians are sending Parliament an extraordinarily clear message.
We have one chance to get this right next week.
This should not be about protecting the bottom line of multinational gambling corporations. It should not be about which lobby group can make the most noise in Canberra.
It should be about protecting Australian children and vulnerable Australians.
I’ve stood up against the gambling industry before. I’ve stood with Sunshine Coast locals against a casino. I’ve fought to stop people gambling online with credit cards.
And now I will continue fighting for stronger reform.
Yesterday I told Parliament: if not now, when? If not on this, on what?
As the Federal Member for Fisher, my job is to be a voice for my community, even when taking a position is difficult or powerful interests don’t like it.
On gambling, that’s exactly what I intend to keep doing.
[ENDS]
Media Contact: Brendan West – 0402 556 646 – Brendan.west@aph.gov.au
You can read or watch Andrew’s speech here: https://andrewwallacemp.com.au/speeches/interactive-gambling-amendment-gambling-reform-bill-2026-second-reading/
