The decision marks a reversal of Prime Minister AnthonyAlbanese’s 2022 election pledge to curb what Labor once described as an “epidemic of gambling adverts across Australian society” .
As reported by the Australian Financial Review (AFR), Albanese is expected to use the forthcoming under-16 social media restrictions as cover to water down the proposed ban and contain internal party divisions.
Fresh from his landslide re-election in May 2025, Albanese’s government approved the social-media ban for under-16s, a controversial measure among opposition parties but broadly welcomed by parents. The restrictions will take effect at the start of 2026.
Murphy recommendations fade into background
While Labor appears to be walking away from the core recommendation of the 2023 Murphy Report – which called for a three-year phase-out of gambling advertising – the government will continue to review gambling reforms.
Communications Minister Anika Wells, who assumed the portfolio in May, will now lead a new mandate to develop updated federal advertising protections. Wells is expected to table new negotiations with broadcasters, sporting bodies and state regulators to establish a revised national framework.
However, it appears unlikely that Wells or Albanese will back any blanket advertising ban. Industry sources suggest the government may instead return to a “watered-down” whistle-to-whistle restriction on gambling ads during live sport.
Australian sporting codes, bookmakers and trade bodies – including Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA) – have indicated they are willing to engage with the government on alternative measures.
A new RWA-commissioned study has highlighted the rapid expansion of Australia’s illegal offshore gambling market, which has almost doubled in size since 2019, from AU$5.3bn to AU$10.9bn. Of this, around AU$7bn flows through licensed domestic operators, with the remainder channelled to unregulated offshore sites growing at a faster rate.
The study found that half of players using offshore websites were registered on the government’s BetStop exclusion system, indicating that foreign sites are deliberately targeting vulnerable consumers banned from local platforms.
Wells and the Albanese government are now under pressure to demonstrate a clear enforcement plan against black-market operators, particularly as the past two years have seen record fines issued by the Australian Media Communications Authority (ACMA) and AUSTRAC for advertising and compliance breaches — but no tangible action against illegal offshore platforms.
Media networks and sporting codes continue to warn that a full gambling advertising ban would strip roughly $300m in annual revenue from broadcasters and leagues reliant on sponsorship and “product-fee” income from wagering.
NRL Chairman Peter V’landys, a close ally of Albanese, has been among the most vocal opponents of a total ban, describing Labor’s earlier proposal as “nanny-state ideology.”
Gambling ad saga reflects poorly on Labor
Inaction on gambling advertising has cost Labor — and particularly Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The glaring liability remains that Australia has yet to establish a Federal Gambling Authority, despite the market being projected to reach US$15.43bn in 2025, and maintaining the highest gambling prevalence rate globally, with 75% of Australian adults having gambled.
Each week brings fresh national headlines of betting-related scandals in sport and mounting social fallout from gambling addiction. This has not deterred sports personalities and clubs from continuing to pursue industry partnerships, however.
Glenn McGrath, one of Australia’s greatest cricket players, has partnered with bet365, for example – a deal which led to him departing his role as a commentator for ABC according to The Guardian.
As Australia’s public service broadcaster, ABC has a strict rule against commercial deals with betting firms. This puts it in contrast with other outlets like Nine Network which count gaming advertising as a key revenue stream, and have protested plans to cull advertising.
Reformist and prohibitionist voices are gathering momentum, led by the Alliance for Gambling Reform (AGR), which this year united 100 of Australia’s most prominent political and sporting figures to call for urgent gambling restrictions and the black-out of gambling ads.
The AFR further reports that Minister Wells has conceded that the final decision rests with Albanese, with insiders confident he will not impose a total ban on online gambling. No formal announcement is expected until the new year.
There will be no hiding for Albanese, who will face renewed pressure to deliver concrete actions. The PM will once again be cornered on Labor’s handling of gambling policies. In a recent TV appearance, critics accused Albanese of “speed-dating his replies” on the nation’s growing gambling liabilities.
Dingnews.com 20/11/2025