The Lottery Office has accused The Lottery Corporation of lobbying Australia’s Labor Government for a ban on foreign-matched lotteries.
The proposed prohibition appears in the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 and would prevent The Lottery Office from continuing its main online lottery model.
The bill would define foreign-matched lotteries as products whose prizes are determined by an overseas draw. Australian customers enter a local lottery, while the operator purchases a corresponding ticket in the foreign draw.
This differs from direct entry into Mega Millions or another overseas lottery because the Australian customer does not own the foreign ticket.
The Lottery Office is operated by Global Players Network, which holds an Internet Gaming Licence issued by the Northern Territory Government. The platform launched in late 2018 and has since expanded its Gold Coast operation.
It also sponsors the NRL’s Gold Coast Titans. The Lottery Office CEO, Jaclyn Wood, has warned that the proposed ban could cost about 50 local jobs.
The dispute follows an Australian Government review of online keno and foreign-matched lotteries. The review found insufficient data to identify a different harm or spending profile for foreign-matched products when compared with domestic lotteries. It also recorded conflicting views about whether existing controls provided adequate consumer protection.
The bill now proposes a complete online prohibition from 1 January 2027, subject to parliamentary approval.
The Lottery Corporation has publicly supported the measure. During evidence to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, The Lottery Corporation MD and CEO, Wayne Pickup, said: “There is no obligation to pay the Australian customer.”
His concern centred on customers having no ownership of the overseas ticket and depending on the Australian operator’s terms for payment.
Pickup added: “Our concern is not one of competition. Our concern is consistency.”
The Lottery Corporation holds state and territory licences for domestic lottery products, including Powerball and Oz Lotto. It has argued that foreign-matched operators face lighter regulatory obligations.
The proposed legislation would also prohibit online Keno, which forms part of The Lottery Corporation’s portfolio.
The Lottery Office maintains that removing a licensed rival would further concentrate Australia’s lottery market.
In July, Global Gaming Insider reported that Labor had committed to stronger gambling oversight while stopping short of a complete advertising ban.
Global Players Network secured its Northern Territory Internet Gaming Licence in 2014. The Lottery Office platform launched in late 2018
