The industry body says the parliamentary review offers an opportunity to address concerns over the proposed legislation.
Australia.- Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) has welcomed the decision to refer the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 to a Senate inquiry. It says the parliamentary review will allow lawmakers to reconsider “draconian and overreaching” provisions that it believes go beyond the government’s stated policy objectives.
While the proposed legislation was introduced to Parliament this week, the inquiry will delay its progress until at least August. RWA CEO Kai Cantwell noted that the organisation had participated in the government’s consultation process and submitted recommendations to improve the bill and provide greater certainty for licensed wagering operators.
Cantwell said the industry’s proposals focused on clarifying how the advertising restrictions would apply to celebrities and social media influencers, as well as addressing practical implementation issues that could arise if the legislation were enacted in its current form. He said those recommendations were not reflected in the bill introduced to Parliament.
RWA said it plans to continue engaging with lawmakers throughout the inquiry process and will advocate for changes it believes would result in legislation that is effective, proportionate and aligned with its intended objectives. The Senate inquiry is expected to report in mid-August. The Australian government has said it intends for the new gambling advertising rules to take effect on January 1, 2027, although the parliamentary review could affect that timeline.
The bill would cap gambling advertisements on free-to-air television at three per hour between 6am and 8.30pm and prohibit betting commercials during live sports broadcasts within those hours. The proposed legislation would also ban gambling promotions by athletes and social media influencers, remove betting advertisements from stadiums and sports jerseys, and introduce measures targeting online and offshore gambling operators.
Some lawmakers say the proposal doesn’t go far enough. Independent senator David Pocock argues that children could still be exposed to gambling advertisements during the day. He called for the creation of a national gambling regulator and a ban on betting inducements, including bonus bets.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has defended the proposed reforms, saying they strike the right balance. Speaking to ABC Radio today, he said that in some ways, they go further than the report from the 2023 review led by the late Peta Murphy. He defended the government’s decision not to impose a blanket ban and said there was “not much point” restricting Australian gambling websites while leaving overseas operators unaffected.
The PM said: “I’m not against someone having a punt on a Saturday. What I’m against is problem gambling, which overwhelmingly, by the way, is poker machines, which is of course regulated by the states.”
The industry body says the parliamentary review offers an opportunity to address concerns over the proposed legislation. Australia.- Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) has welcomed the decision to refer the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 to a Senate inquiry. It says the parliamentary review will allow lawmakers to reconsider “draconian and overreaching” provisions that…
