Unlikely allies are joining forces in federal parliament to push for a total ban on sports gambling ads as they criticise incessant betting messages inundating children during sports coverage.
Late Labor MP Peta Murphy chaired a landmark review that recommended banning gambling ads, which received support from across the parliament.
Victorian Gaming Minister Melissa Horne - a longtime friend of Ms Murphy - said it would be "nothing short of disgraceful if the federal government does not adopt each and every one of those recommendations".
“Without a doubt, it's so important that blanket ban is put in place," she told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.
"As the gaming minister, that the biggest irritant, particularly for parents, is that normalisation of gambling for young people and gaming companies are absolutely predatory with this."
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen criticised the amount of betting ads during sports matches and the Olympics, saying it was a concern for families and action was needed.
"Over that period of time, my kids have started asking questions about those ads that they're seeing on TV, the betting ads, they're starting to ask questions about why so many? what do they mean?" she said.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland is yet to outline the government's policy but the government maintains the status quo needs to change.
A partial ban has been flagged.
Liberal senator Gerard Rennick also broke ranks with his own party, supporting a non-binding motion that called for a complete ban.
While no stranger to crossing the floor, he was the only Liberal to do so regarding gambling.
Senator Rennick said he despises the ease of online gambling and is against poker machines in pubs, saying sports clubs in the Queensland town he heralds from were surviving before their introduction.
Pokies and online gambling "prey on people who are vulnerable to addictions", he said.
"I've had people contact me saying they had their lives destroyed by addiction to gambling," he told AAP.
"We've got plenty of things to do in the world without gambling online so why do we need to be advertising it - children will pick up on this stuff."
"If you want to gamble, go down to the racetrack or buy some shares in a dodgy mining company by all means but I don't think we need to encourage it."
Banning ads was one way to stop addiction before it starts, he said.
"There are plenty of other things you can do on your bloody mobile. I'd imagine there are people out there who could very easily blow up a lot of money online gambling."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has warned of unintended consequences of a total ban while free-to-air broadcasters have warned about a significant loss of revenue.
David Pocock, Jacqui Lambie, David Van, former Labor senator Fatima Payman, the Greens and Senator Rennick supported the ban while Labor, the coalition, Ralph Babet and Tammy Tyrrell opposed it.
