Australia’s gambling advertising reform bill set for parliamentary debate this week
The Labour government says only minor changes have been made to the draft legislation.
Australia.- The Australian government is expected to introduce its long-awaited gambling advertising reform bill to Parliament this week with only minor revisions following the public consultation process. The Labour government aims to pass the legislation before Parliament’s five-week winter recess to keep the planned implementation date of January 1, 2027.
Speaking to ABC Radio, Communications Minister Anika Wells said the consultation process had resulted in only small adjustments to the draft bill. “There are some revisions after the exposure draft and the consultation process, and I’ll continue to work with stakeholders and parliamentarians on these reforms,” she said. “This is a big and meaningful reform package.”
The proposed legislation would introduce a cap of three gambling advertisements per hour on daytime television, ban betting ads during live sports broadcasts and phase out gambling branding on sports kits and inside stadiums. It would also prohibit athletes, celebrities and social media influencers from promoting wagering products.
The reforms would extend to digital platforms, allowing gambling advertisements only for logged-in users who have verified they are over 18 and have not opted out of receiving such content. In addition, the bill would strengthen the national self-exclusion scheme BetStop, ban online keno and foreign matched lottery products, and expand the powers of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to combat illegal gambling operators.
Gambling harm advocates argue that the reforms do not go far enough. Independent Senator David Pocock criticised the proposal, saying it would fail to adequately protect children from gambling advertising during live sport and accusing the government of yielding to pressure from the gambling industry.
The government needs support from either the Coalition or the Greens to secure its passage. The Greens have called for tougher restrictions closer to those recommended in the 2023 You Win Some, You Lose More inquiry, and the Coalition has not confirmed whether it will back the bill.
