This morning, PM Anthony Albanese declared that Australia will implement “strong and decisive actions” to curb gambling advertising and protect young and vulnerable audiences.
A matter that has dogged Albanese tenure as PM since 2023, is resolved as the Labor government has committed to back five measures aimed at a ‘drastic reduction of exposure’ of gambling ads to the Australian public.
Beginning 1 January 2027, the government will restrict “gambling advertising on broadcast television to no more than three ads per hour between 6am and 8.30pm, alongside a full ban on such advertising during live sports broadcasts within those hours.”
The headline reform directly targets what gambling reformists describe as the “normalisation loop” between sport and betting — an issue that has driven a nationwide campaign calling for federal intervention.
Labor’s reset is built around five core restrictions that redefine how, where and to whom gambling marketing can be shown:
- Broadcast TV limits: Maximum of three gambling ads per hour between 6am and 8.30pm
- Live sport blackout: Full ban on gambling ads during live sports broadcasts within those hours
- Radio watershed: Ban on gambling ads during school commute times (8–9am and 3–4pm)
- Digital controls: Online ads restricted to logged-in, age-verified (18+) users, with mandatory opt-out options
- Sporting environment bans: Removal of gambling ads from stadiums and from players’ and officials’ uniforms
Further measures will see the government impose a ban on the use of celebrities and professional athletes in gambling promotions, alongside prohibiting “odds-style” advertising targeting sports fans.
Together, the measures aim to dismantle what Albanese described as an environment where “kids grow up thinking that footy and gambling are the same thing.”
Breaking Links
Following a two-year delay in implementing federal reforms, Labor believes its measures will redraw the cultural boundary between sport and wagering — without imposing a blanket ban on gambling advertising, as had been anticipated in 2023.
In the absence of a unified federal framework, Australia’s media channels have become saturated with gambling content, including in-play odds, sponsored segments and personality-led betting promotions.
Albanese notably rejected the Murphy Report’s 2023 recommendations, which called for a phased 3-year approach to implement a blanket ban on gambling advertising. The decision drew criticism at the time, and split party ranks with reformist camps arguing the government had delayed reforms to appease media networks.
The issue reached a boiling point last year as the Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR), led by Tim Costello, launched a campaign backed by 101 Australian sports and media figures calling for a full ban on gambling advertising.
Siding with major TV networks, the Labor government faced criticism for allowing gambling to remain embedded within the fabric of sports consumption.
Minister for Communications and Sport Anika Wells stated that from 2027, families should be able to watch sport “without being bombarded by gambling advertisements.”
However, the reforms stop short of a full advertising ban — highlighting the government’s balancing act between public health objectives and the commercial realities of Australia’s sports and media sectors.
Albanese reiterated this position: We’re getting the balance right here, letting adults have a punt if they want to but also making sure Australian children don’t see betting ads everywhere they look.
“What we don’t want is kids growing up thinking that footy and gambling are the same thing.”
Yet the cumulative impact is significant. The removal of live sports inventory alone will strip out premium advertising windows, while digital restrictions introduce friction into acquisition strategies that have historically relied on broad targeting.
The key question now is how operators respond — whether through CRM-led engagement, product differentiation or increased investment in compliant, first-party marketing ecosystems.
Secondary Measures
Additional measures include:
- Crackdown on online lottery-style products deemed harmful or misleading
- Ban on online keno products (“pocket pokies”)
- Standardisation of match-fixing offences nationwide
- Enhanced enforcement against illegal offshore operators
- Continued development of BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register
- Expansion of financial counselling services for those impacted by gambling harm
- Increased public awareness campaigns on the risks of online gambling
These interventions signal a broader policy shift — positioning gambling harm as a public health and social welfare issue, rather than solely a regulatory concern.
Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek reinforced this stance, linking gambling harm to wider societal impacts, including family breakdown and domestic violence.
Albanese: Trust the Process
The government must now draft legislation, with industry consultation and regulatory design expected to define the next 12–18 months. The 1 January 2027 start date provides a transition window for media owners to adapt to new compliance frameworks and commercial realities.
Broadcasters, sports bodies and digital platforms will be given time to offset lost revenues tied to gambling partnerships, while operators face the challenge of re-engineering marketing strategies within tighter constraints.
Wells concluded: “From 1 January next year Australians will be able to sit down with their families and cheer on their favourite team without being bombarded by gambling advertising.
“Our reforms will break the connection between wagering and sport, minimise children’s exposure to wagering advertising and reduce its saturation across the internet, radio and TV channels.
“Australian parents, families and sports fans have been calling for action, and we thank all those involved for their continued engagement and advocacy as we’ve worked continuously to get the settings balanced and right.”
