Australian politicians were gifted about AU$245,000 ($147,000) in match tickets over nearly two years by the country's most popular sporting leagues as part of a lobbying campaign against a proposed ban on advertising of online gambling, according to calculations based on government documents.
Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had promised a crackdown on gambling advertising following a 2023 report by his government that recommended a "comprehensive ban on all forms of advertising for online gambling."
But he took the issue off the legislative agenda late last year and has left it to be considered by a new parliament to be formed following a May 3 general election that his party is tipped to win by a narrow margin. Polls show that three-quarters of Australians want a ban.
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