Labor's proposed reforms fall short of addressing gambling harm, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians' addiction medicine chapter president John Saunders said.
"Disappointing for people working in the area of public health, but more importantly, disappointing for people who are suffering from the harm from gambling and their families," Professor Saunders told AAP.
An inquiry led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy called for a complete phase out of gambling ads in 2023 and received cross-party support.
But few of the 31 recommendations have been implemented in the years since.
Prof Saunders said the government did not have the same incentive to intervene compared to past public health initiatives like plain packaging for cigarettes.
"The fact that they could identify tangible costs to healthcare services, meant a great deal," he said.
But Prof Saunders said a gambling addiction created the same brain connections as any other drug addiction.
"We're not dealing with something which is trivial, far from it. We're not dealing with something which is a bad voluntary decision," he said.
"I've seen tragedies and lives cut short, suicides, repeatedly over time ... we have the greatest gambling losses of any country in the world.
"Surely we can do something."
Negotiations between the major party leaders are ongoing with a growing number within the coalition pushing for stronger reforms.
The priority is to develop laws that protect rights and freedoms, opposition frontbencher Tim Wilson told reporters.
"Protect the importance of children to be able to be free of gambling, advertising, and to be able to develop without that influence," Mr Wilson said.
Liberal MP Simon Kennedy told parliament he supported an independent review of the policy after the next election, echoing calls from independent MP Kate Chaney.
Ms Chaney said a review would force the government's hand.
"When further evidence shows that partial bans just move the money around, then the government will have to actually face up to that after an independent review," Ms Chaney told AAP.
The legislation is scheduled for debate on Wednesday afternoon with Labor hoping to pass the reforms during this sitting fortnight.
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