Veteran opener Usman Khawaja has come out openly against gambling in Australian sport and called on the country’s government to protect children from its harmful effects.
Alleging that the Anthony Albanese government had been “100 percent too slow” in banning gambling ads, the senior Australian batsman stressed on the need to cut the ties between betting and sport for the benefit of the young.
“The relationship that young kids are having with gambling is scary and it’s dangerous,” Khawaja said alongside a group of MPs, public health academics, doctors and other experts at Parliament House. “We are normalising gambling for the younger generation.”
The left-hander said it’s becoming an addiction with a lot of them and something needed to be done urgently to redress the situation.
“I can’t watch an NRL (National Rugby League) game without getting odds right before a game. I play grade cricket with young cricketers who are coming through. There are 16-year-olds with gambling accounts and they cannot watch the game without putting a bet on,” he reflected.
When asked what he wants the Australian government to do, Khawaja said: “Ban gambling from sport – it’s quite simple. You have to go cold turkey, it’s the same as what happened with tobacco. We have a responsibility. If gambling is repeatedly being brought together with sport and athletes, showing you can’t watch sport without gambling, then it is a very, very dangerous precedent to set.”
Khawaja met Prime Minister Albanese and treasurer Jim Chalmers on Thursday, Guardian Australia reported.
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Chalmers described Khawaja as a friend and said he was a “wonderful humanitarian”.
“We have a lot of respect [for Khawaja] and we listened to him on the issues … he’s a leader of real substance, not just the leader in the faith community, but a leader more broadly,” Chalmers said.
“I take his contribution very seriously. I’m grateful … that he’s made the time to come and talk with us directly about these issues.”
According to Guardian Australia, the Australian government had intended to introduce legislation before the federal election in May but the move was shelved due to fierce opposition from broadcasters, sporting codes and some bookmakers.
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Albanese had recently told Parliament that they were concerned that a ban on sports gambling could prompt people to just go offshore. Offshore gambling services are banned in the country and not subject to consumer protections, Guardian Australia said.
