The Australian Government has agreed to establish a national opt-out register for online wagering advertising as part of a compromise with the Coalition aimed at securing support for its long-awaited gambling reform legislation.
The proposed register would allow Australians to block gambling advertisements across participating online platforms through a single request, replacing the requirement for users to manually opt out on individual websites and services.
The measure forms part of a broader package of amendments negotiated between the Government and Opposition. With the Coalition's shadow cabinet backing the revised legislation, the reforms are now expected to pass Parliament, although some Liberal MPs have indicated they may oppose the bill on the grounds that it does not go far enough.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the amendments would introduce additional restrictions on inducement-based marketing while establishing the new wagering advertising opt-out register.
The register would be administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and is expected to require users to submit identifying information, such as the email addresses linked to their online accounts. However, it is not expected to be operational when the broader advertising reforms come into force on 1 January.
Alongside the register, the legislation retains the proposed "triple lock" framework, under which gambling advertisements on social media, streaming services and other online platforms may only be shown to logged-in users who have been verified as being over the age of 18.
The amendments also target gambling inducements by introducing a cooling-off period that would prevent operators from sending promotional offers to newly opened betting accounts or to individuals who have recently removed themselves from BetStop, Australia's national self-exclusion register. The proposals would also prohibit VIP account managers from receiving commission based on customer gambling losses.
Industry groups have questioned the practicality of implementing a centralised advertising register, particularly across the wide range of online platforms, while wagering operators have raised concerns about funding the scheme through an industry cost-recovery model. The legislation is also expected to include an independent review of the reforms after three years to assess their effectiveness.
The proposed register would operate similarly to Australia's existing Do Not Call Register
