Australia’s government and the opposition Coalition have agreed on a national register that will allow people to opt out of online gambling advertising and repeated gambling advertisements.
The deal advances the government’s plan to tighten betting rules. The Australian Labor Party secured Coalition support after accepting changes to its gambling reform bill.
Under the plan, people will be able to register once and ask online platforms to stop showing them gambling advertisements. The system will cover websites, social media services, streaming platforms and other digital services that carry wagering promotions.
The gambling industry will fund the register through a new levy. The Australian Communications and Media Authority will oversee it. The Australian Labor Party said betting companies, not taxpayers, will cover the cost.
The agreement also sets new limits on gambling advertisements on television and radio. Ads will be limited to three per hour. Restrictions around live sport are set to get even stricter, with gambling ads banned for 15 minutes before a live sporting event, and another five minutes after it.
The reforms also go after “inducements”, meaning those offers that encourage people to open accounts or stay gambling. A few of these incentives will end up with longer lockouts. Betting companies will also be blocked from paying commissions that are tied to a customer’s gambling behaviour.
These changes arrive after years of debate about gambling ads in Australia, and what betting promotions are doing to young people and others who are at risk of gambling harm. The Australian Labor Party has been getting pushback from independent MPs, the Greens, and a bunch of public health groups to bring in firmer safeguards.
Still, critics say it does not go far enough. Independent senator David Pocock has been targeting the whole setup and has asked for stronger protections. The Greens have also been pushing for a wider ban on online gambling advertising, not just the currently proposed.
A number of Coalition MPs have also opposed the bill for related reasons. Others have backed the compromise, saying the opt-out register gives people a practical way to control what they see online.
The Australian Labor Party has defended the deal as an improvement on the current rules, and they say it is a step forward in practical ways. The Australian Labor Party claims the reforms will make it harder for betting companies to nudge, or even target vulnerable customers, while at the same time giving people more control over the advertising.
This debate, it shows the ongoing unease around gambling ads in Australia. Betting companies are visible across sport, television, and digital media. Supporters say repeated exposure can make betting seem normal to younger audiences.
The new system will work alongside BetStop, Australia’s self-exclusion service. BetStop allows people to block themselves from licensed online betting services. The advertising register will serve a different purpose because it will focus on promotions rather than access to gambling accounts.
The Australian Labor Party is expected to move the legislation through parliament. The government says the changes will create a national standard and make gambling advertisements easier to control.
The government says the reforms balance efforts to reduce gambling harm with business interests.
If passed, the measures would mark one of Australia’s biggest gambling advertising changes in years. The Australian Labor Party will face pressure for further changes if unwanted promotions continue.
For the register, the main thing will be whether it actually works across all those different websites and platforms people use day to day. The government will have to make sure that companies follow the rules, and that people can easily opt out, without too much hassle.
The Australian Labor Party says the target is straightforward, almost like: give Australians more say over gambling promotions and news, and cut down on how much harmful betting messaging they see.
