Australia’s Parliament has approved the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026. This bill introduces stricter restrictions on gambling advertising and stronger measures targeting illegal operators and gambling-related harm. The reforms follow months of debate and a Senate inquiry into proposed changes to Australia’s gambling advertising framework.
New Restrictions on Gambling Advertising
The legislation prohibits wagering advertisements during live sporting events across broadcast and online services. Notably, the restriction applies from 15 minutes before an event begins until five minutes after it ends, between 5 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.
The new rules also ban wagering advertisements inside sports venues and on player and official uniforms. Athletes, celebrities and influencers will also be prohibited from promoting wagering products.
Television wagering advertisements will be limited to three per hour during the restricted daytime period. Meanwhile, radio wagering ads will be prohibited during school drop-off and pick-up times. Broadcasting sporting odds will also be banned.
For online platforms, wagering advertising will only be permitted for users who are logged in and aged 18 or over. Moreover, these users must be given the option to opt out.
New Wagering Advertising Opt-Out Register
A key element of the reform is the Wagering Advertising Opt-out Register. This register will be administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
The register will provide consumers with a single way to opt out of wagering advertisements across online platforms. This replaces an earlier proposal that would have required users to manage preferences separately on each service.
The gambling industry will fund the register through a cost-recovery levy rather than taxpayer funding.
Stronger Enforcement and Inducement Restrictions
The reforms also give banks and payment systems greater authority to block transactions involving illegal gambling operators. Meanwhile, ACMA will receive expanded powers to block illegal gambling websites more quickly.
The legislation additionally bans online keno and foreign-matched lotteries. It also introduces stricter rules on inducement marketing. Direct inducement marketing will be prohibited for 14 days after registration. It will be banned for three months after a person deregisters from BetStop, and indefinitely for customers identified as being at risk of gambling-related harm.
Two related cost-recovery bills were also passed to establish how gambling companies will fund the new measures.
The reforms are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. This marks a significant expansion of Australia’s gambling advertising and consumer protection framework.
