Australia Cracks Down on Gambling Ads as Prediction Markets Like Polymarket Remain Blocked

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced sweeping restrictions on gambling advertising across television, radio, online platforms, and sporting venues on April 2.

The new rules take effect from January 2027 and aim to reduce children’s exposure to betting promotions during live sports broadcasts and everyday media.

Australia’s Per-Capita Gambling Losses Drive Reform

Australia has the highest per capita gambling losses globally. In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Australians lost $31.5 billion on gambling, averaging roughly $1,527 per person.

The country holds less than 0.5% of the world’s population, yet accounts for nearly 20% of its poker machines.

Under the new measures, gambling ads will be fully banned during live sport broadcasts on TV between 6 am and 8:30 pm.

Outside live sport, a cap of three ads per hour applies during the same window. Celebrities and athletes can no longer appear in gambling promotions.

Online gambling ads will only be permitted when users are logged in, verified as over 18 and given an opt-out option. Radio ads face bans during school drop-off and pick-up hours.

“We’re cutting gambling ads on TV, radio, online and on the field,” Albanese articulated.

However, the reforms fall short of the full phased ban recommended by the 2023 Murphy parliamentary inquiry.

Donation Scrutiny and Prediction Market Implications

Australian Electoral Commission filings show gambling companies continued donating to both major parties during reform delays.

Sportsbet gave $88,000 to Labor on June 26, 2024, weeks before the government shelved a proposed blanket ad ban.

Tabcorp contributed $60,500 and Responsible Wagering Australia added $66,000 to federal Labor that same financial year.

Meanwhile, crypto-based prediction platform Polymarket remains banned and ISP-blocked in Australia since August 2025.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) classified it as an unlicensed interactive gambling service.

This follows an investigation that found the platform had paid TikTok and Instagram influencers to target Australian bettors during the 2025 federal election.

US-regulated prediction exchange Kalshi has self-restricted Australian users from accessing its platform, citing compliance with local gambling laws.

Neither platform is directly affected by the new advertising rules, which target licensed domestic operators like Sportsbet and Tabcorp.

The advertising restrictions represent one piece of Australia’s broader gambling regulation puzzle. Prediction markets remain firmly in ACMA’s crosshairs under existing legislation.

Meanwhile, the new ad rules focus on reducing the visibility of traditional sports betting in mainstream media.