[REVISION HISTORY]

Australian gambling advertising and poker machine reforms

Updated 15 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-06 08:23 UTC → 2026-09-15 03:59 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the August 2026 passage of the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill, new criticisms have emerged regarding the adequacy of the legislation. The bill advanced through Federal Parliament following a bipartisan deal between the Labor government and the Coalition, which included amendments such as moving television advertising restrictions from 6am to 5am and extending live sport blackouts to 15 minutes before games. Central to the federal reforms is the ‘AdStop’ opt-out register, funded by a levy on wagering providers and overseen by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The laws also introduce a 14-day wait period for new account inducements and a 90-day wait for individuals using the BetStop self-exclusion platform. However, stakeholders like Rod Glover argue these measures ‘fall significantly short of the Murphy Report’s recommendations,’ which had called for a total ban on gambling advertising. In New South Wales, the Minns government has announced a AU$95.2 million reform package. This includes a ban on gambling advertisements across government and council-owned assets, such as the state’s stadium network. By 2028, the state plans to implement a statewide exclusion register supported by mandatory facial recognition technology at gaming room entrances to identify self-excluded patrons and assist police with money laundering monitoring. Other NSW measures include a third-party exclusion scheme for family members and police, the termination of VIP programs, and increasing the poker machine entitlement forfeiture rate from one in three to one in two. ~~Broader regulatory shifts also include~~ Expanding these regional efforts, the ~~expansion of Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) programs,~~ ACT Government has announced a major reform package targeting poker machine harm. The plan includes a ban on EFTPOS cash withdrawals at venues with ~~significant impacts expected~~ gaming machines, followed by ~~March 2026. Authorities have clarified that online businesses based outside Australia remain subject to local laws if they provide access to banned features to Australian players.~~ a ban on ATMs, as the territory moves toward mandatory account-based play.

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