Jun 29, 2026 | 5:33 am
Australia’s federal government and Coalition have reached an agreement on amendments to gambling legislation, including a national register that will allow people to opt out of wagering advertisements across online services.
The proposed changes also target direct inducements and spending-linked commissions for wagering staff and affiliates. Parliament is expected to consider the amendments after Labor’s caucus and the Coalition’s party room complete their approval processes.
The agreement follows criticism that the original gambling reform package did not provide sufficiently strong protections. The government has also faced calls from the Greens and crossbench senators for wider advertising restrictions.
New Online Advertising Opt-Out System
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will develop the Wagering Advertising Opt-out Register. People will be able to indicate that they do not want wagering advertisements shown through their online services, with the preference applying across participating accounts.
The government says the register will complement existing restrictions covering gambling advertising. Online platforms will also have to make their opt-out functions prominent.
Anika Wells, Minister for Communications and Sport, said: "We have listened to the range of views across the community and the Parliament, which showed us the most toxic version of inducements – and we are taking action to address this."
The amendments also extend restrictions around live sport and children's exposure to gambling advertising. Online services will face restrictions that mirror existing broadcast rules, while certain advertising limits will begin earlier in the day.
Inducements Face Tighter Controls
The amended legislation introduces a 14-day ban on direct marketing of inducements to customers who have newly opened wagering accounts. It also prohibits such marketing to customers identified as being at risk of gambling-related harm.
People who leave BetStop, Australia's national self-exclusion register, will face a three-month period during which wagering companies cannot directly market inducements to them. The amendments also prohibit commissions for staff or affiliates based on customer activity.
The government says wagering providers will fund the costs associated with the new inducement restrictions and the advertising opt-out register.
Wells said: "The reforms introduced to Parliament represent the most significant reforms to online gambling in Australia’s history."
A review of the legislation will take place after three years, with ACMA responsible for monitoring and enforcement.
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Critics Say Reforms Remain Limited
The Senate inquiry recommended that the legislation pass, although independent senator David Pocock and the Greens argued that the package failed to meet the scale of reform proposed by the earlier Murphy inquiry.
The Murphy inquiry had recommended a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising across media, phased in over three years, together with an immediate ban on inducements. Pocock also backed a national online gambling regulator and proposed an opt-in advertising system as an alternative to the government's opt-out model.
Critics have also pointed to the continued availability of gambling advertising under the amended framework. The legislation introduces a daytime television cap that permits three gambling advertisements per hour from 5am to 8:30pm, while radio restrictions apply on school days.
The final package therefore represents a negotiated expansion of the government's original proposals while leaving broader questions about gambling harm and advertising exposure unresolved.
Source:
“Government agrees to ad opt-out register in deal with Coalition to pass gambling reforms”, abc.net.au, August 17, 2026