Canberra commits $112.7m to expand counselling and safeguards in online gambling crackdown

The “Addressing Online Gambling Harms” package is a federal funding commitment of approximately AU$112.7 million over five years, beginning in 2025–26. According to coverage of the announcement, the money is earmarked to strengthen consumer protection measures in Australia’s online wagering market, which is regulated under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.

The government intends to finance part of the program through higher levies on licensed operators that participate in BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register (NSER). BetStop allows individuals to exclude themselves from all licensed Australian online wagering services in a single step and is a central element in the national harm-minimisation framework.

The package was outlined as a response to growing concern about the impact of digital betting and aggressive advertising on Australian consumers. It builds on the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering, which already includes mandatory identity checks, bans on credit betting, restrictions on certain promotions and requirements to offer deposit limits and monthly activity statements.

The funding breakdown highlights a focus on direct support services and technical safeguards. Approximately AU$39 million will be directed to financial counselling programs starting in 2026–27. After that initial injection, the government has indicated permanent annual funding of AU$10 million to support individuals and families experiencing gambling-related financial harm.

A further AU$28.7 million is allocated to BetStop. This money is intended to expand awareness of the national self-exclusion service, enhance data-matching systems, deliver technical upgrades and strengthen user security. For people who choose to self-exclude, this means the system should become more visible, more robust and harder for operators to circumvent.

Enforcement and public education account for the remaining major components. Around AU$22.6 million is earmarked for enforcement activities, including action against illegal offshore gambling operators, online lotteries considered harmful, and monitoring compliance with gambling advertising rules. Another AU$22.4 million will fund national public awareness campaigns focused on the risks of online betting and the support options that are available.

All of these elements sit alongside existing tools under the National Consumer Protection Framework, such as the prohibition on lines of credit for gambling and mandatory responsible gambling messages. For consumers, the package translates into more accessible counselling, clearer self-exclusion pathways, and regulatory agencies with greater capacity to act against non-compliant operators.

Australia’s online gambling market is governed primarily by the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, which restricts the provision of certain online gambling services and targets illegal offshore operators. Enforcement powers have been strengthened in recent years, including the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s ability to request internet service providers to block illegal gambling sites.

The new “Addressing Online Gambling Harms” package operates within this legislative framework but concentrates on harm reduction rather than new offences. It complements the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering, which imposes mandatory know-your-customer checks, bans the use of payday lending for gambling, restricts inducements and requires operators to provide tools such as deposit limits and easy account closure.

The reforms are reported to be influenced by the parliamentary inquiry “You Win Some, You Lose More”, led by the late MP Peta Murphy and published in June 2023. That report recommended tighter controls on online wagering and much stronger regulation of gambling advertising.

In parallel with the funding package, the government has confirmed that additional gambling advertising reforms are scheduled to take effect in January 2027. Details of those specific advertising measures are not set out in the available material, but they are described as part of the broader policy shift towards reducing gambling harm in digital environments.

For people who bet online, the immediate effect of the announcement is not a new restriction on what can be wagered, but an increase in the support infrastructure around that activity. More financial counsellors focused on gambling harm are expected to be available from 2026–27, additional public campaigns will highlight risks and help services, and BetStop is slated for technical and security improvements.

The package also signals that regulatory scrutiny of operators is tightening. With extra enforcement funding tied to illegal operators, harmful online lotteries and advertising compliance, the risk of Australians being directed towards unlicensed or non-compliant services is expected to reduce over time, assuming the enforcement powers are used as described.

Crucially, the measures are designed to work with – rather than replace – existing national consumer protections such as credit betting bans and responsible gambling messaging. For consumers, this points to a policy environment that is increasingly centred on harm reduction across the full online wagering ecosystem, from how products are advertised to how individuals can opt out and seek help.