Australia's Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 has received assent, clearing the final legislative stage for a package of wagering advertising, consumer protection and illegal gambling measures due to commence on 1 January 2027.
The legislation passed the House of Representatives on 18 August and the Senate the following day. Parliament's Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee had recommended passage after an inquiry examining advertising restrictions, illegal gambling services and online lottery products.
Under the final framework, wagering advertisements will be prohibited during live sports coverage across broadcast and online services. Between 5am and 8.30pm, the blackout begins 15 minutes before an event and continues until five minutes after it ends. Television wagering advertising will also be capped at three advertisements per hour during that period.
Advertising will be prohibited in sports venues and on players' and officials' uniforms, while athletes, celebrities and influencers cannot be used to promote wagering. Radio advertising will face restrictions during school drop-off and pick-up periods.
Online platforms will only be permitted to provide wagering advertisements where users are logged into an account, verified as over 18 and given an option to opt out. The legislation also establishes a Wagering Advertising Opt-out Register designed to apply a user's advertising preference across online services.
The reforms extend beyond advertising. Direct marketing of wagering inducements will be restricted for new customers during their first 14 days, people who have left BetStop within the previous three months and customers identified as being at risk of gambling-related harm.
Banks and payment systems will also be able to block transactions involving illegal gambling operators. Online keno and foreign-matched lotteries will be prohibited, while the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will receive additional enforcement powers against illegal services.
The changes build on Australia's existing consumer protection regime. BetStop had recorded 59,830 registrations by 31 March 2026, including 37,247 active exclusions from licensed online and telephone wagering providers.
Industry concerns continued through the legislative process. Responsible Wagering Australia argued that elements of the advertising framework could increase compliance complexity for licensed operators and potentially benefit offshore providers operating outside Australia's regulatory system.
In July, Responsible Wagering Australia backed parliamentary scrutiny of the original legislation while arguing that parts of the proposed advertising framework extended beyond the Government's stated objectives. The Senate inquiry subsequently examined the measures before recommending that Parliament pass the bills.
The legislation follows the 2023 You win some, you lose more parliamentary inquiry, which recommended a phased comprehensive ban on online gambling advertising over three years
