Every day, I scroll through social media and find myself bombarded by influencers showcasing their gambling wins.  These influencers often portray gambling as an exciting way to make quick money, influencing many young, impressionable minds, like myself, to consider gambling as a viable option. I have personally been tempted by the idea of gambling to win big, and I know many young citizens have felt the same allure. The rising trend of influencers promoting gambling to their young audience is becoming a significant issue, as it entices countless individuals to engage in potentially harmful behavior.

According to studies, we have found that 46% of people aged 18-19 gamble, but most concerningly, that 18–24-year-olds have more access to gambling thanks to social media and influencers. Worryingly, this age group is nearly twice as likely to be at high risk of harm compared to other groups.  Dr Ferdi Botha, an expert in the field from the Household, Income and Labor dynamics Survey believes this is due to the way gambling is marketed through social media campaigns and apps.

Despite Anthony Albanese forming regulations that limits gambling through a strict crackdown on TV or the radio, it feels that the Australian government is overlooking one key factor that causes young people to gamble, and that's influencers.

We know how influential these creators are because the Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 makes it illegal for influencers to promote illegal gambling services.  Influencers can be fined up to $59,400 when they are live streaming or showing themselves gambling on an illegal service,  including links in their content that directs people to an illegal gambling service and have promotional giveaways relating to an illegal gambling service.

If we acknowledge the harms of gambling advertisements and campaigns on children, why isn’t this act extended to gambling services as a whole?

We are calling for amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to include the promotion and endorsement of legal gambling services. Stricter regulations are necessary to prevent harm and counteract the narrative which is currently being promoted. The narrative that “gambling is fun.

The responsibility lies not only with regulatory bodies but also with social media platforms, influencers, and the community at large to ensure that kids, teenagers and even young adults are not exposed to gambling promotions. Implementing these changes will create a safer digital space for young individuals and reduce the long-term impacts of gambling addiction.

Please sign this petition to call on relevant politics and social media companies to take immediate action by establishing stricter regulations to protect our youth from gambling exposure. Together, we can make a difference and safeguard the well-being of young individuals who are easily influenced by the content they consume online.