The NSW Office of Responsible Gambling has introduced a new public awareness campaign aimed at reducing gambling harm among young people by encouraging parents and caregivers to model safer behaviours around gambling.
Fronted by former Canberra Raiders player and social media personality Luke Bateman, the GambleAware Parents’ Campaign specifically targets men who have teenage children or who play influential roles in young people’s lives.
Bateman, who has previously spoken publicly about his own experiences with gambling harm during his National Rugby League career, appears in a series of videos distributed across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Spotify.
According to Office of Responsible Gambling Director Alison Parkinson, the campaign follows earlier awareness initiatives launched in 2024 and is supported by research into youth gambling behaviours in New South Wales.
Studies referenced by the regulator found that two-thirds of NSW parents who gamble do so in front of their children, with fathers particularly likely to expose children to gambling activity.
Research also suggested that many young people who later experienced gambling harm first encountered gambling in family settings and developed positive perceptions of betting during adolescence.
The campaign encourages parents to avoid gambling in front of children, supervise online activity and discuss the risks associated with gambling openly.
It also advises against assisting minors to gamble or normalising betting behaviour within the home.
Bateman said he hoped sharing his experiences would help reduce stigma around gambling harm and encourage greater awareness among families.
The campaign arrives in the context of growing regulatory scrutiny of gambling marketing in New South Wales. Earlier this year, Liquor & Gaming NSW identified influencer promotions as a core area of oversight for 2026, warning operators they remain accountable for all social media content tied to their brands.
Liquor & Gaming NSW recently identified influencer gambling promotions as a major regulatory focus for 2026, particularly where content may reach younger audiences
