Measuring influence

An analysis of Australian gambling industry political donations and policy decisions

Bibliographic Data

ID15398264
AuthorsMaggie Johnson (0000-0002-1696-5179, Monash University, corresponding author), Charles Livingstone (0000-0003-3946-2061, Monash University)
Year2020
Volume29
Issue3
Pages196-204
Publication date2020-05-25
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAddiction Research & Theory (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1476-7392 • E-ISSN: 1606-6359
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/16066359.2020.1766449
OpenAlexW3032740658
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited18

Purpose Existing Australian (and global) gambling harm prevention and minimization measures are overwhelmingly based on self-regulation, using largely ineffective measures focused on individual behavior change. This is substantially attributable to resistance to effective policy change, driven by a well-organized and significantly resourced gambling industry. It is evident that the gambling industry (like tobacco, alcohol and the processed foods industry) has actively sought political engagement as a mechanism to resist policy change. However, unlike tobacco and alcohol, little research has been undertaken to examine gambling industry influence on policymaking. This study aims to describe and analyze the pattern of disclosed financial donations received by Australian politicians and political parties from major gambling industry actors during the period 1998–2018. Further, it examines apparent temporal relationships between donations and gambling legislation or policy positions. Material and methods Donation data were sourced for the period 1998–2018 from the Australian Electoral Commission website. All data were classified according to donor and recipient and analyzed to provide descriptive statistics. Donations earmarked for specific campaigns, politicians’ electorates or events were also identified. Results The findings demonstrate that members of the gambling industry are consistent and substantial donors to both major parties in Australia. Furthermore, the pattern of donations provides evidence of temporal relationships between donations and federal and state gambling policy decisions and positions. Conclusions Close examination of industry corporate political activities like political donations supports a greater understanding of the factors that influence the gambling policy environment and, as with tobacco, will contribute to more effective regulation to prevent and address harm

Advertising · Alcohol industry · Business · Commission · Donation · Economics · Harm · Legislation · Political science · Politics · Public economics · Public policy · Public relations · Tobacco industry · Gambling Behavior and Treatments · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology · Law · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes · Marketing

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