Australia confirms funding total for online gambling harm prevention
The funding will support financial counselling, self-exclusion tools, advertising enforcement and national awareness campaigns.
Australia.- The Australian federal government has confirmed that AU$112.7m (US$73.3m) in funding will be allocated over five years for initiatives to reduce gambling harm. Starting in the current year, the funds will go towards self-exclusion tools, financial counselling services, advertising enforcement and public awareness campaigns.
The programme will be supported by several government agencies, including the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the Department of Social Services, and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. Part of the funding will come from an increase in the levy paid by licensed wagering operators that use BetStop, Australia’s national self-exclusion system for online and phone betting.
BetStop is set to receive AU$28.7m (US$18.7m) over four years, with an additional AU$3.2m (US$2.1m) annually after that period. The government said the funding will be used to improve public awareness, upgrade data-matching systems and enhance the platform’s usability and safety features.
The government will also invest AU$39m (US$25.4m) over four years into financial counselling services for people and families affected by gambling-related harm. A further AU$22.4m (US$14.6m) will fund a national public awareness campaign. Meanwhile, AU$22.6m (US$14.7m) will go towards enforcing gambling advertising reforms, targeting illegal offshore gambling operators and strengthening consumer protection measures related to online lottery products.
The move follows gambling reform measures introduced by the Australian government last month. Starting in January 2027, gambling advertisements will be banned during live sports broadcasts on television, while radio advertising restrictions will also be introduced during key family listening hours.
