As Federal Parliament returns to Canberra after a five-week winter hiatus, the Albanese government is gambling with its credibility as it pushes for its controversial gaming reform legislation to be passed within a fortnight.

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Under the changes, betting ads would be limited to three per hour between 6am and 8.30pm and gambling ads would be banned from live sport, stadiums and player jerseys.

The Coalition, Greens and some independents have said they don't believe the proposals to curb gambling harm go far enough and are pushing for tighter restrictions in return for their support. A group of Labor backbenchers has even joined the call for the laws to be strengthened after a parliamentary inquiry heard testimony of alleged predatory practices by betting companies.

Former NRL player Luke Bateman, now 31, told the inquiry that when he was 23 he was often invited to VIP events - and once allegedly did drugs with bosses of an unnamed sports betting company at Gold Coast party sponsored by a smaller bookmaker.

Is this really the industry the government wants to be doing any favours?

In his term-and-a-half as leader, Mr Albanese has taken several significant and potentially legacy-defining risks that have, for various reasons, not lived up to their initial promise. He asked the country to vote on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, but could not convince the required majority that his model would work.

He's shown himself to be willing to risk his 2025 mandate by attacking negative gearing and capital gains tax, and has found himself under relentless........

© Canberra Times