Australia’s planned gambling advertising crackdown would reduce national wagering expenditure by just AUD 62.7 million a year, equal to about 0.8% of the AUD 32.2 billion lost on legal gambling in 2023-24, according to the government’s own impact assessment. The same review said a full advertising ban that the government chose not to adopt would have cut losses by 1.4% annually, nearly double the projected effect.
Government review points to limited savings under the preferred plan
The 48-page assessment from the Office of Impact Analysis was published on April 7, almost three years after a parliamentary inquiry led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy called for a comprehensive ban on online gambling advertising. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese presented the government’s alternative package on April 2 at the National Press Club, with the measures scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027.
The OIA said the government’s preferred model would lower annual gambling expenditure by AUD 62.7 million. A full ban, which Murphy’s committee had recommended, would have reduced spending by another 0.6 percentage points. The office said the full ban carried “a higher net benefit,” but added that it would impose a heavy financial burden on media companies and grassroots sport. The assessment identified 2,461 affected stakeholders across wagering operators, broadcasters, digital platforms and podcasters, and estimated annual regulatory costs at AUD 10 million.
TV, radio and digital channels all face new restrictions
Under the proposed rules, television gambling ads would be capped at three per hour between 6 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., and barred entirely during live sports broadcasts in that window. Radio gambling ads would also be banned during school drop-off and pick-up periods. Celebrities, athletes and other public figures would no longer be allowed to appear in wagering promotions, and gambling branding would be removed from sports venues and player uniforms.
Online services would operate under a “triple-lock” system. Gambling ads would be blocked by default unless a user is logged in, verified to be over 18, and given the ability to opt out. The OIA told Guardian Australia that the rule would apply to streaming services, podcasts, social media, app stores, and the official websites and apps of the AFL and NRL.
Criticism comes from both the industry and reform advocates
Reaction to the package has split sharply. Responsible Wagering Australia CEO Kai Cantwell called the announcement “a real kick in the guts for the industry” and said it set “a dangerous precedent.” At the same time, Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello described it as a “timid response,” arguing that the opt-out model leaves the burden on parents instead of companies.
Australian Medical Association vice president Julian Rait said partial bans do not go far enough. Independent MP Kate Chaney also dismissed the package as “tinkering around the edges of meaningful reform.” The result is a compromise that appears to satisfy neither side.
New Zealand holds off while focusing on online casino legislation
Australia’s debate is also being watched closely in New Zealand. The country’s Department of Internal Affairs told the NZ Herald on April 8 that it is monitoring Australia’s approach but does not plan to introduce similar ad restrictions right away. Its immediate priority is the Online Casino Gambling Bill, which is expected to pass in May 2026 and would bring the currently unregulated online casino market under local oversight through a licensing system capped at 15 operators.
New Zealand’s Advertising Standards Authority handled 955 gambling-related complaints in 2025 and is reviewing its code later this year. Data cited by the OIA showed the share of Australians at risk of gambling harm rose from 11% in 2019 to 15% in 2024. Wagering losses climbed from AUD 3 billion, or 16% of total gambling losses, in 2010-11 to AUD 8.4 billion, or 26%, in 2023-24. In Victoria alone, the social cost of gambling was estimated at AUD 14.1 billion in the previous year. Albanese’s legislation is expected to be introduced to parliament in May.