Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has signalled that an agreement on gambling reforms could be reached next week as the government negotiates changes to advertising and inducement rules with the opposition.
Albanese said discussions with opposition leader Angus Taylor had progressed during the latest parliamentary sitting and indicated that the government expects the debate to reach a conclusion next week.
The government announced its gambling reform package in April, including restrictions on betting advertising across television, radio, online platforms and professional sport.
Under the proposals, television gambling advertising would be limited to three advertisements per hour between 6am and 8.30pm, with a complete ban during live sport within those hours.
Radio gambling advertising would be prohibited during school drop-off and pick-up periods, while online advertisements could only be shown to logged-in users aged over 18 who have the option to stop receiving gambling promotions.
The reforms would also ban celebrities and sports players from gambling advertising and prohibit betting brands on player uniforms and inside sports venues.
The government intends the measures to begin from January 1, 2027.
Further amendments are now being negotiated, including tighter controls on gambling inducements and how advertising is targeted.
Albanese told his Labor parliamentary colleagues earlier this week that he expected amendments covering inducements to receive bipartisan support and described the legislation as the strongest anti-gambling package introduced in Australia.
The negotiations have also reopened a wider debate over whether Australia’s gambling reform agenda is placing too much emphasis on sports betting.
During parliamentary questioning on August 13, Albanese rejected suggestions that sports betting represents Australia’s main gambling addiction.
Albanese said: “The idea that betting on sports is the major gambling addiction in Australia is absolutely false.”
He argued that gambling harm extends beyond sports wagering and should not be viewed solely through betting advertising or professional sporting codes.
Official Australian data supports the distinction between wagering and the wider gambling market.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that gaming machines remained the largest source of gambling losses in its latest national expenditure data, while wagering, which includes racing and sports betting, represented a smaller share.
The government nevertheless maintains that reducing the connection between betting and sport is particularly important for children and younger audiences.
Albanese said when announcing the original reforms that the government wanted adults to retain the ability to gamble while preventing children from growing up viewing betting as an inherent part of sport.
Political negotiations are continuing over whether the proposed restrictions should go further, particularly around online advertising and customer inducements.
A deal between Labor and the Coalition would significantly increase the likelihood of the legislation passing parliament and establish a new national framework for gambling advertising from 2027.
