Australia's parliament is reviewing amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act that would restrict betting advertising from 1 January 2027, but critics say the measures fall short. The bill allows up to three bookmaker ads per hour on television between 6:00 and 20:30, bans advertising during live sports broadcasts, at stadiums and on player kits, and prohibits celebrity endorsements. Online betting ads would be restricted to logged-in users over 18 with an opt-out.
The amendments diverge from the 2023 parliamentary report 'You Win Some, You Lose More', which called for a total online betting ad ban within three years, a prohibition on bonuses and a national regulator. Sydney Anglican Cathedral Dean Sandy Grant asked the Prime Minister how three betting ads per hour could be acceptable if the aim is to protect children from constant bookmaker pressure. Children and Media Australia said only a full ban would safeguard children, citing evidence that childhood exposure increases later addiction risk.
Broadcasters oppose the bill from the opposite direction. State broadcaster SBS warned it cannot implement age verification by January and would lose commercial revenue funding news and local content. Free TV, representing commercial channels, flagged the hit to advertising income that supports free-to-air services.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the bill a balanced approach between inaction and a total ban, noting that poker machines — regulated by states — cause greater harm. Australians lose around $34 billion a year on gambling, more per capita than any other country. The opposition, Greens and independent senators are opposing the bill as inadequate.
