Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026, National Self-exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Amendment Bill 2026
Mr MONCRIEFF (Hughes) (18:45): Problem gambling is one of the most urgent public health challenges facing Australia today. In our digital age, the pull of poker machines is not limited to the four walls of a local club or pub. The rise of smartphones, online betting apps and aggressive advertising means gambling is no longer something people need to seek out; it can follow Australians into their homes, their workplaces and their pockets, available 24 hours a day.
The siren song of online gambling rings from the phones in our pockets, erupts on our TV screens while watching footy with our families and flashes on our feeds, beckoning us to try our odds. Aggressive online advertising follows us home on our smartphones and makes it harder for those at risk to escape their influence. The corrosive impact of gambling advertisements is not restricted to those of us who are old enough to enter a licensed venue; it is ever present on television programs and screens watched by adults and children alike.
Odds displayed before matches, bookies during breaks, betting promotions seamlessly integrated into the sporting experience—these accompaniments to the sport programs we watch are completely normalised, like chloroform for the mind. The coupling of gambling ads with sport sends a strong signal to viewers that the evening cricket or footy is best enjoyed with a bet.
For years, Australians have been exposed to betting advertisements throughout sporting broadcasts. Odds are displayed before matches, bookmakers advertise during breaks and betting promotions are increasingly integrated into the sporting experience. Gambling is presented alongside the game itself, creating the impression that placing a bet is simply another way of participating in sport.
The linking of online gambling with sports is a pernicious bait-and-switch for young people. Gambling ads are prevalent. A comprehensive report from the Australian Gambling Research Centre estimated that 78 per cent of Australian adults reported seeing or hearing a gambling advertisement at least once a week, with 41 per cent being exposed four or more times per week.
If the link between gambling inducements and behaviour was weak, there might be limited reason for concern. But a growing body of evidence suggests otherwise. That same report highlighted that exposure to gambling ads had the greatest impact on young people aged 18 to 34 and people at risk of gambling harm.
One in five young women and one in seven young men reported that they started betting for the first time after seeing an advertisement. Among those who were at risk of serious harm, two in five reported trying a new form of betting and another two in five bet on impulse as a result of seeing or hearing these advertisements. Similarly, an international meta-analysis suggested a positive association between exposure to gambling advertising and gambling related attitudes, intentions and behaviours.
Yet another study on gambling behaviours in Australian secondary school students found an association between online gambling ad exposure and gambling behaviours, and warned that young people are increasingly exposed to media promotion and advertising of gambling. The empirical evidence is increasingly clear that gambling inducements do produce their desired effect, inciting susceptible gamblers to test their odds online.
We know that the human cost of gambling can be severe. Its impact does not stop with problem gambling. On average, for every person suffering gambling harm, around six others—family and friends, colleagues and kids—experience the second-hand effects through financial pressures, stress and strained relationships.
The scale of problem gambling in Australia is immense. Australians collectively lose upwards of $30 billion through poker machines and online gambling every year. While many who gamble do not develop serious problems and might enjoy the occasional slap or punt, the personal consequences for those at risk of addiction can be shattering: savings eroded, pay cheques fed to poker machines, homes liquidated and families destroyed.
I wish this were hyperbole, but it just isn't. There are countless stories attesting to this reality. This morning I met with representatives from the Salvation Army, Anglicare and UnitingCare, who described some of the profound personal tragedies they witness every day in their work, especially as financial counsellors.
It's not only financial counsellors, though, that struggle to cope with the fallout. Gambling harm bleeds across all social services. It's not enough to have a disclaimer, telling viewers to gamble responsibly, at the end of advertisements.
Those struggling with gambling addiction are highly susceptible to these slickly produced ads and are not making a detached purchasing decision. The whole point of gambling ads is to induce a behaviour, and they are enormously effective at that goal. It is clear that Australians are fed up with aggressive online gambling ads.
They know that it's not just a matter of individual choice. Gambling ads prey on those struggling with addiction and those at risk, and the remit of their impacts extends well beyond the affected person. Australians recognise gambling harm for the public health issue it is and want Australian governments to take meaningful action to reduce the harms associated with problem gambling.
The bill that is before us today represents the strongest gambling reforms introduced in this parliament's history. It's a wide-ranging package that is evidence based, painstakingly consulted upon and informed by the lived experience of those who have suffered from gambling harm. The Albanese Labor government is serious about protecting young Australians and vulnerable people from online gambling.
This bill spans restrictions on wagering advertisements and increased enforcement action against illegal gambling services. It strengthens BetStop and addresses harms from online lottery products. It means fewer gambling ads, a stronger and more accessible BetStop and a crackdown on dodgy video game lotteries.
It will minimise our kids' exposure to wagering advertising and end the obscene saturation of advertising across the internet, over the airwaves and in our living rooms. The legislation involves the Australian Communications and Media Authority, governments across all states and territories, broadcasters, digital platforms and streaming services, sporting codes, wagering service providers, lottery providers, rewards club providers and banks, who will all be required to take action to implement the measures.
We want Australians to be in control of their exposure to gambling ads and to be able to sit down with their families without incessant inducements intruding on their night. This bill is a move to sever the link between sport and problem gambling, letting kids grow up enjoying sport and not conflating the games they love with online gambling. Under these laws, gambling ads will be banned during all live sport between 6 am and 8.30 pm, with a cap of three ads per hour outside of sport between these hours.
Gone will be promotions and endorsements by celebrities, athletes and influencers targeting kids and younger Australians. Jerseys and stadia are getting a makeover, with the removal of all gambling insignia. Morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups will be free from inducements over the radio, and a ban on online advertising will apply to all sites and platforms, including social media, news websites, Spotify, podcasts, streaming services, YouTube and search engines.
The onus is on online platforms to implement these restrictions. If they choose not to, our message is clear: it's all or nothing. If they insist on running wagering advertisements, they will be banned from showing ads entirely—at any time, to anyone.
This bill goes beyond gambling advertising. It confronts illegal offshore gambling providers and ensures that anyone participating in online gambling in Australia does so with the safety of our national consumer protections. The bill strengthens BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, so that Australians grappling with gambling addiction can easily and reliably opt out of inducements.
BetStop is a critical support service for many Australians. Since launching in 2023 it has helped more than 61,000 Australians exclude themselves from gambling advertisements, and many have attested to the beneficial impact it has had in their lives. But BetStop can be even better.
The statutory review of BetStop found that only one in four people are aware it exists. Even among those who placed a bet in the last 12 months, only one in three were aware of its existence. Every Australian should know where to turn for help and how to exclude themselves from online gambling inducements.
That's why this bill will incorporate a national campaign to raise awareness of BetStop. Online Keno and Pocket Pokies, with rapid-draw format, high frequency of play and substantial spending allowances, are another prominent issue. These platforms can cause significant harm, with Australians able to lose up to $1,000 every three minutes.
They will be banned under this proposed legislation. We are also cracking down on foreign matched lotteries that allow Australians to buy tickets in offshore lotteries. They operate through legal loopholes that allow them to pose as a middleman, buying tickets on someone else's behalf while claiming that they will deliver the winnings if they are successful.
It's as shady as it sounds. There are no guarantees that the offshore lottery would honour the ticket. I've been informed by social workers of cases where clients have purchased such tickets and experienced severe distress when their winnings were not paid out as advertised.
Other kinds of fake lotteries can be just as damaging. Australian charities have estimated that fake lotteries simulating charity fundraising and genuine business loyalty programs diverted more than $60 million from the charity sector in 2024. Closing these regulatory gaps will allow genuine Australian lotteries and charities to receive this revenue.
This bill is substantial in both its legislative breadth and the positive impacts it will have in reducing gambling harms by cracking down on online inducements. We acknowledge that many in the community and in this place have strong views and passionate proposals of their own. Of course, we will continue to listen to and consult with those affected for as long as gambling harm remains an issue in our society.
The consultation for this bill has included more than 80 organisations spanning 10 sectors, including state and territory governments, harm reduction advocates, broadcasters, sporting organisations and gambling organisations. Fifty-nine written submissions were received, and feedback has been incorporated into the final bill. Stakeholders were invited to attend round tables on each of the four pillars in this bill.
This is a long road that governments of all levels, organisations and civil societies must traverse to meaningfully combat gambling harm. But the time for delays, for inquiries and for setbacks is over. Those who would prefer to wait to push back the passage of this bill in an endless procession of debate, to continue kicking the can down the road for the next generation, must recognise that lassitude has its cost.
These reforms must commence from 1 January 2027. Debate, discussion and democratic contest is welcome, but action must be taken. The timely passage of this bill is of the utmost importance to ensure that families, victims of gambling harm and children can have the confidence to navigate the online world free of endless gambling inducements, without delay.
That's why I commend this bill to the House.