TLDR
- Australia will ban online keno and restrict gambling ads during live sport from January 2027
- Wagering ads will be banned from sports venues, uniforms, and during school drop-off and pick-up times on radio
- Online platforms must verify users are signed in, over 18, and given an opt-out before showing gambling ads
- The ACMA will get stronger powers to block illegal gambling sites, with the black market projected to hit A$5 billion by 2029
- Critics including senators and independent MPs have called the reforms “cowardly,” “terrible,” and “pathetic”
The Australian government has unveiled a package of gambling reforms set to take effect from January 2027. The changes come as the official response to the parliamentary inquiry led by the late Peta Murphy, who died in 2023.
The inquiry, known as the Murphy’s Law inquiry, drew on 161 submissions, 26 exhibits, and 13 public hearings. Its report was titled “You win some, you lose more.”
The reforms will be introduced through amendments to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. They cover advertising, online lottery products, enforcement, and support services.
Gambling Ads Face Strict New Limits
One of the biggest changes targets wagering advertising during live sport. Ads will be banned between 6:00 am and 8:30 pm, including five minutes before and after play.
Gambling ads will also be removed from sports venues and uniforms. Current sponsorship contracts will be allowed to expire before the ban kicks in.
Broadcast television will be capped at three gambling ads per hour during the restricted window. Radio stations will not be allowed to run wagering ads during school drop-off and pick-up times.
Online platforms will need to adopt what the government calls “triple lock” protections. Users must be signed in, verified as over 18, and given the choice to opt out before seeing any gambling ads.
The rules are aimed at reducing exposure among children and vulnerable groups.
Online Keno Banned Outright
The government has moved to ban online keno entirely. Officials said the game allows players to spend up to AU$1,000 every three minutes, creating serious risks due to its rapid play cycle.
Figures from Queensland Treasury showed Australians lost more than AU$32 billion on legal gambling in 2023-24. That works out to an average of AU$1,521 per adult, the highest per capita gambling losses in the world.
Trade promotion lotteries and foreign-matched lotteries will also face tighter national rules. Charity lotteries, which raise funds for causes like medical research, are treated separately under the reforms.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority will receive stronger powers to block illegal gambling websites and financial transactions tied to them. Reports project Australia’s gambling black market could grow to A$5 billion by 2029.
BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, will be strengthened. A review found more than 53,000 Australians had signed up since its launch.
Financial counseling services will be doubled. The government also plans a public awareness campaign targeting at-risk groups, including young men.
The reforms have drawn sharp criticism from multiple directions. ACT Senator David Pocock called the response “both cowardly and disrespectful.” He accused the government of releasing it during budget week to avoid scrutiny.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie called it “terrible.” WA’s Kate Chaney dismissed it as “pathetic,” arguing that partial bans simply shift money around.
Chaney pointed to the case of Ladbrokes and Neds, where the ACMA uncovered more than 500 breaches of national self-exclusion rules by parent company Entain. Accounts were opened and bets accepted despite gamblers being on the exclusion register.
Entain was ordered into a remediation program but received no fine. Chaney said this proved Australia needs a national gambling regulator with real enforcement power.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the reforms, saying they struck the right balance between adult choice and protecting young people. “They will make a meaningful difference,” he told parliament.
