Gambling

South Australians have lost more than $20 billion on the pokies in the last three decades – enough to have built at least 10 new hospitals. Gambling harm not only impacts people directly involved gambling, but has wider social impacts, with at least 6 people affected for every person involved in high-risk gambling. Pokies should be banned and the industry should be more restricted in its advertising and operations.

What we think

1. The gambling industry is exploitative and socially destructive.
2. The gambling industry should be regulated to mitigate its social harms.
3. Forms of gambling that are designed to be particularly addictive should be restricted and the most harmful should be banned.

We’ll fight to

1. Phase out all pokies within five years.
2. Ban all gambling industry advertising (similar to the tobacco industry), including sports sponsorship.
3. Increase regulation of online betting.
4. Mandate a gambling shutdown at SkyCity and all licensed venues between 3am and 12pm.
5. Mandate that all gambling outlets prominently display information from Gambling Harm Support SA about the real odds of winning in popular gambling activities.
6. Ban all political donations from the gambling industry.
7. Redirect taxed revenue from gambling to specific programs dealing with the problems caused by or associated with gambling.