Australia has introduced stricter gambling advertising regulations aiming to protect young people after statistics revealed Australians lose more money gambling than any other nation. Critics say only a comprehensive ban would be effective enough.
The Australian government announced major new measures to tighten control over gambling advertisements following prolonged pressure from various groups. The new rules will impose stricter limits on the timing and placement of ads and ban celebrities from promoting gambling. However, the measures fall short of a total ban on gambling ads previously proposed in parliament over 1,000 days ago. Countries like Italy, Belgium, and Spain have already implemented nearly complete or near-complete bans on gambling advertising.
Under the gambling reform plan, gradually taking effect from 1 January 2027 and fully implemented within the same year, gambling ads on television will be restricted to no more than three times per hour between 6:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., and completely banned during sports broadcasts within those hours.
Gambling ads will be prohibited on radio during school commute times, and the use of celebrities and athletes for promotion is banned. Gambling website or app logos are forbidden at sports venues and on athletes' clothing, as well as on officials. Online gambling ads will only be visible to users logged into accounts verified as over 18 years old, with an option for users to opt out of receiving such ads.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated these measures aim to strike the right balance, allowing adults to gamble if they choose, while protecting children from gambling ads across all platforms. Statistics show Australians suffer the highest per capita gambling losses worldwide, with last year's estimated harm reaching AUD 34 billion (approximately THB 764 billion). Experts say the true social cost is much higher due to gambling-related mental health issues and alcohol addiction.
However, the gambling and media industries have strongly opposed these measures. Responsible Wagering Australia criticized the rules as excessively strict and harmful to other business sectors, warning the measures could severely impact an industry employing over 30,000 people.
Meanwhile, representatives from the gambling app Sportsbet expressed concern that overly strict restrictions might push people toward illegal offshore gambling sites that do not follow these regulations. The new measures also affected the stock market, with shares of Tabcorp, Australia's second-largest gambling company, dropping 1.9%, a decline steeper than the overall market index.
On the other hand, activists and public health experts have expressed dissatisfaction that the government did not impose a complete ban on gambling advertising. Reverend Tim Costello, representing a gambling reform group, criticized allowing up to three ads per hour as akin to permitting tobacco ads and said putting the burden on parents to opt out of online ads is an inadequate form of protection.
Similarly, the Australian Medical Association stated that partial bans are unlikely to be effective, and without a comprehensive advertising ban, Australians—especially children and young people—will continue to be exposed to gambling promotion.
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