The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) have jointly announced their support for a complete ban on all forms of gambling advertising.
This call comes just weeks after a group of prominent Australians issued an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton, urging a total ban on gambling ads within three years.
The new statement by the two colleges described the urgent need for legislative action to combat gambling-related harm in Australia, highlighting its detrimental effects on individuals, families, and support networks, including caregivers.
Both colleges are urging the Commonwealth and state governments to eliminate barriers that hinder individuals from seeking treatment for gambling addiction. They also stressed the importance of assessing, diagnosing, and addressing harmful gambling behaviors.
‘Addressing these issues is essential, especially for affected individuals who cannot access evidence-based therapeutic interventions,’ the RANZCP and RACP said in their joint statement.
Dr. Elizabeth Moore, President of the RANZCP, expressed serious concerns, stating: “increasing rates of gambling-related harm among Australians is a significant issue for psychiatrists, particularly due to its strong correlation with comorbid (multiple and simultaneous) mental health disorders.
“It can tear apart families, leading to financial troubles, economic abuse, and intimate partner violence. Gambling has been shown to exacerbate factors that drive violence against women and their economic abuse”, she asserted.
Dr. Moore emphasized the necessity of banning gambling advertising, saying that legislation to ban all forms of gambling advertising is critical to addressing their pervasive effect on people’s mental health and well being.
“We advocate for the implementation of all recommendations made in the ‘You Win Some, You Lose More’ report to minimize gambling-related harm, especially for high-risk groups.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Jennifer Martin, President of the RACP, alleged that gambling negatively impacts people’s health and well being, and gambling advertising exacerbates these harms for individuals, families, and the community.
“The Government must recognize the damaging effects of gambling and treat it as a health issue. There needs to be appropriate investment in comprehensive services for those affected, ensuring access to treatment and support for everyone who needs it,” Martin noted.
Dr. Martin concluded, “Ultimately, without a ban on all forms of gambling advertising, the health of Australians is put at serious risk.”
The RANZCP is dedicated to training medical specialists in psychiatry across Australia and New Zealand, while the RACP connects and represents over 30,000 medical specialists and trainee specialists from 33 different specialties in the region.
