Families to see fewer betting ads, but no ban

Families watching sport will see fewer betting ads from January, but Australia is not banning gambling advertising altogether. The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026 passed Parliament recently, with most of the new advertising restrictions to begin on 1 January 2027. Under current rules, gambling advertising is already banned between 5am and 8.30pm from five minutes before live sport begins until five minutes after it ends, including during breaks. From January, that blackout will begin 15 minutes before the scheduled start of play and continue until five minutes after the event. Television channels will also be limited to three wagering advertisements in any 60-minute period between 5am and 8.30pm, while wagering advertising will be banned on radio between 8am and 9am and 3pm and 4pm on school days. Dedicated racing and wagering channels and programs are exempt from some of the restrictions. Wagering generally means betting on the outcome of an event, such as sport or horse and greyhound racing. The new advertising restrictions largely deal with this type of gambling rather than every form of gambling, such as poker machines, casinos or lotteries. Online platforms will be required to take reasonable steps to prevent wagering advertising being shown to people who are under 18, whose age has not been confirmed, who are not logged into a registered account or who have opted out. The legislation also provides for a national Wagering Advertising Opt-out Register, with its commencement date to be set separately. Wagering advertising will also be banned on players’ and officials’ uniforms and at sporting venues, with racing excluded from those restrictions. Arrangements entered into before 2 July 2026 can continue under transitional provisions until no later than the end of 2031, provided they are not extended or expanded. Licensed wagering providers will also generally be prohibited from using current or former athletes, celebrities, social media influencers and other prominent people to promote wagering, subject to limited racing exemptions. The reforms stop short of the comprehensive advertising ban recommended by the 2023 parliamentary inquiry chaired by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy. GambleAware Murrumbidgee manager Kaily Goodsell said repeated exposure during sport could shape the way children understood betting. “Repetitive exposure of gambling advertising during sport has the potential to send the message that sport and gambling go hand in hand,” Ms Goodsell said. She said regular exposure could make gambling seem like a normal part of life and could also present it as a fun social activity among friends. “Anything that you are exposed to on a regular basis has the potential to become a part of a normal life." GambleAware Murrumbidgee provides free and confidential therapeutic and financial counselling across the Murrumbidgee region, including the Hilltops. Ms Goodsell said the number of younger people coming to the service had remained about the same, although that did not necessarily show how widespread gambling-related problems might be. “That does not mean there are not larger numbers out there, it just may mean they are not seeking help,” she said. The service has also had family members seek support and guidance about another person’s gambling. “We offer counselling services to any person affected by gambling, either their own or someone else’s,” Ms Goodsell said. Warning signs for families could include changes in mood or habits, withdrawing socially, isolation, selling possessions and a decline in general health. But advertising is only one influence on the way children develop attitudes towards gambling. A NSW study of 1185 parents and caregivers of teenagers found that, among parents who had gambled in the previous 12 months, 68.4 per cent said their teenager had been present while they gambled. The research identified parents helping or enabling their children to gamble as the strongest predictor of adolescent gambling participation and gambling problems. NSW Office of Responsible Gambling director Alison Parkinson said earlier this year that parents and carers had a significant influence on children’s attitudes towards gambling. Parents have been encouraged not to gamble in front of their children or help them gamble, to talk openly about the risks and to supervise their online activity. The online environment presents another challenge. The NSW Longitudinal Youth Gambling Study followed young people aged 12 to 17 in 2020 and surveyed them again four years later. Among those who had taken part only in simulated gambling as adolescents, 40 per cent had moved into gambling with real money by 2024, including six per cent who moved into at-risk or problem gambling. The study does not prove simulated gambling causes later gambling problems. It identified early influences including family, peers, advertising, accessibility and simulated gambling that can contribute to later gambling behaviour. Some online games also include gambling-like features such as loot boxes, where players pay for the chance to receive a random virtual reward. The eSafety Commissioner also warns gambling advertising can appear in free games and on gaming-related platforms. How far government should go in restricting advertising remains contested. ACT Independent Senator David Pocock, who is behind the Stop Gambling Ads campaign, wants all 31 recommendations of the 2023 Murphy inquiry implemented. “Our campaign is all about pushing for evidence-based policy when it comes to gambling harm and that means implementing the 31 recommendations of the Murphy review in full,” Senator Pocock said. The inquiry recommended a staged phase-out ultimately leading to a comprehensive prohibition on online gambling advertising and sponsorship, including stronger restrictions around sport. Senator Pocock said the legislation “falls well short of what is needed”. Riverina MP Michael McCormack has argued that reducing gambling harm needs to be balanced against the right of adults to make their own choices. Speaking during debate on the legislation on August 12, Mr McCormack acknowledged gambling could cause financial and health harm to individuals and their families, including children, and backed restrictions around televised football. “What we need to make sure is that we reach a sensible balance,” Mr McCormack told Parliament. He also criticised the government for taking too long to act on the Murphy inquiry recommendations. The Federal government has described the final package as balanced, practical and enforceable and says it will substantially reduce wagering advertising and minimise children’s exposure. For families, the changes from January will mean fewer betting ads in some of the places children are likely to encounter them. But legislation can address only part of the environment in which children form their attitudes towards gambling. What they see while watching sport matters, as does what they see adults doing at home, what they encounter online and in games, and the conversations families have about gambling and its risks. Anyone in the Hilltops concerned about their own or someone else’s gambling can contact GambleAware Murrumbidgee for free and confidential support on (02) 6021 7099. Breakout: What parents need to know from January 1, 2027 Live sport: Betting ads banned from 15 minutes before play until five minutes after between 5am and 8.30pm. Television: Maximum three wagering ads per hour between 5am and 8.30pm. Radio: Betting ads banned 8–9am and 3–4pm on school days. Online: Wagering ads restricted to logged-in, age-verified adults who have not opted out. Sporting venues: New wagering advertising banned at venues and on players’ and officials’ uniforms. Promotions: Athletes, celebrities and influencers generally banned from promoting wagering. * Opt-out register: A national wagering advertising opt-out register will be introduced. The reforms reduce wagering advertising, but do not ban it altogether.

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