Australian Major Parties Agree to National Opt-Out Register for Online Gambling Ads

Australia’s Labor government and opposition Coalition have agreed to establish a nationwide register allowing people to opt out of online gambling advertising. The measure creates a “one-stop shop” for consumers to block wagering ads across online platforms rather than adjusting preferences on each service individually.

Communications Minister Anika Wells said the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would build and run the register, funded by a levy on licensed interactive wagering service providers. Wells told parliament the government had listened to evidence from the recent Senate inquiry and stakeholder engagement.

Compromise on Opt-Out Model and Inducement Curbs

The register represents a compromise between Labor’s existing “triple lock” proposal and calls from the Greens, independent lawmakers and some Coalition members for an opt-in system or full ban. Under the triple lock, ads would appear only to logged-in users verified as over 18, with adults able to opt out.

Critics noted that separate opt-outs per platform placed too much burden on consumers. SBS told the Senate inquiry that only 130,000 of its 15 million on-demand account holders had opted out of gambling advertising. Wells said the wagering industry, rather than taxpayers, should cover the register’s costs.

The package also adds restrictions on gambling inducements, including limits on inducement-based direct marketing, social media ads to certain customers, commission-based referrals and a cooling-off period for new account holders and recent self-excluders via BetStop. Wells said the government was “particularly concerned by evidence about wagering inducements and the role these practices can play in encouraging gambling and exacerbating gambling-related harm.”

Shortfalls Cited by Pocock and Greens

Independent Senator David Pocock said he would vote against the legislation, calling the Labor-Coalition deal a “betrayal of all Australians.” Pocock described the changes as “tinkering” that fell short of the 2023 parliamentary inquiry led by late Labor lawmaker Peta Murphy, which recommended a complete ban on wagering advertising and inducements.

Pocock told ABC the bill would not protect children or “break the connection between sport and gambling.” Both Pocock and the Greens rejected the agreement, calling instead for a national gambling regulator, immediate ban on inducements and full prohibition on online gambling ads. The proposed register could take up to 12 months to establish and may not be operational when broader restrictions begin on Jan. 1, 2027. Industry groups have questioned its technical feasibility and cost, as reported by Yogonet International.

The legislation is expected to pass this week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the agreement represented “a result that will work.”

Reporting: Yogonet International

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