Sat, 8th August, 2026: Reverend Tim Costello — Alliance for Gambling Reform

Fiona, Robbie, Kenny, John and Macca are joined live on air by Reverend Tim Costello — Alliance for Gambling Reform

The federal government’s proposed gambling reforms have come under sustained criticism from anti-gambling-harm advocates, and this week Reverend Tim Costello told a Senate committee that the legislation fails the Prime Minister’s own tests for reform.

Costello argues that the bill doesn’t do enough to separate gambling from sport, protect children or reduce the saturation of gambling advertising.

He says Australia needs a national gambling regulator, a ban on inducements and stronger action on gambling advertising — and argues that incremental reform simply won’t work.

Reverend Tim Costello is Chief Advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, and he joins us now.

Reverend Tim Costello put some very strong arguments to a Senate committee this week.

He told senators that the proposed gambling legislation is, in his words, a “lineball” call as to whether it is actually better than the status quo.

He also argued that Australia needs a national regulator, stronger restrictions on inducements and a much tougher approach to gambling advertising.

The post Sat, 8th August, 2026: Reverend Tim Costello — Alliance for Gambling Reform appeared first on Saturday Magazine.