Australia’s gambling advertising rules will ban notable people from appearing in ads from 1 January 2027.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has released initial guidance, giving operators, broadcasters and publishers less than three months to prepare.
The ban will cover broadcast television, radio, news websites, online games, and social media. Licensed interactive wagering providers will also be barred from contracting with notable people to sponsor or promote wagering advertisements, or participate in their promotion.
The legislation covers current and former professional sports players and athletes, celebrities, social media influencers, and prominent individuals. The minister may also extend the definition to other classes of people.
The ACMA’s guidance outlines how the definition applies, provides examples of who may be covered, and explains how alleged breaches will be assessed. It also clarifies the rules on causing or authorising gambling advertisements, which may affect affiliates, agencies and media partners, and identifies exceptions for dedicated racing services, channels and programmes. The regulator may issue further guidance if necessary.
The guidance follows concerns raised during a Senate inquiry into the legislation. At a hearing on 4 August, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young challenged the ACMA over the provision, while Sportsbet warned that “anyone with an Instagram account” could fall under the draft definition.
Sportsbet, TAB, and Responsible Wagering Australia backed the wider reform package but warned that a complete gambling advertising ban could push punters towards illegal offshore operators.
The ACMA has not narrowed the definition. As per ASGAM, the regulator’s 11-page guidance describes the definition as deliberately broad, intended to capture anyone a wagering provider might use to encourage gambling through association.
Licensed operators will be responsible for compliance, rather than the notable people featured in advertisements. Operators may also need to withdraw ads if a person’s status changes and they subsequently fall within the definition. The ACMA said it may issue further formal guidance if required.
The notable person prohibition is part of the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026, which passed Parliament on 19 August 2026. The legislation also restricts wagering advertisements during live sport and at sports venues, prohibits direct marketing of inducements to at-risk customers, strengthens enforcement against illegal gambling services, and targets harmful and emerging online lottery products.
All measures are scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027, with the ACMA responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance.
Two companion bills also passed on 19 August: the National Self-Exclusion Register (Cost Recovery Levy) Bill 2026 and the Interactive Gambling (Cost Recovery Levy) Bill 2026. They allow the government to recover costs associated with promoting BetStop, enforcing the new inducement restrictions, and developing a wagering advertising opt-out register.