After weeks of debate around what incoming gambling advertising restrictions would look like in Australia, Sky News has said the Albanese government will impose an almost immediate ban on online gambling ads to curb high levels of marketing across social media sites like Instagram, Facebook and X.

On TV gambling, a hotly debates issue, advertising be partially banned as of 2026 to give broadcasters and gambling operators time to honour their current contractual agreements. As expected, the government will stop short of the Murphy Report recommendation to fully ban television ads.

A full ban would severely undermine free-to-air media in the country, government ministers had argued, as they needed gambling ad revenue to survive.

The partial ban, which will likely include the previously reported cap on ads before, during an after sports showings, will seek to curb the high saturation of ads and protect the children viewing sporting broadcasts.  

The Labour government’s cabinet has yet to greenlight new rules, but it is expected that an online ban can be implemented quickly.

Notably, the government will not establish an independent gambling regulator, despite it being a key suggestion in the 2023 Murphy Report which called for a blanket ban on gambling marketing across all media channels.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth told Sky News’ Sunday Agenda program the government was discussing with states and territories’ local governments how to best coordinate the new requirements.

Government maintains a decision has not yet been reached

While Sky News Australia claims that a decision has been reached, the government itself says that discussions continue over how it will amend gambling advertising rules are still progressing.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (3 Sep), Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “We have not come to a conclusion, we’re in discussions. I’ve seen reports that allege that they know what the position is. Well, they don’t. What we’ve been doing is having a consultation to make sure that we get the reforms right.

“We know that problem gambling is an issue, and we want to deal with those issues in a constructive way,” the Prime Minister said.

Critics want ‘Murphy’s Law’ ban imposed

Reports in July suggested the Australian government was considering a watered-down version of the originally proposed ‘Murphy’s Law’ gambling ad ban.

According to these reports, gambling ads would no longer be shown during children’s programming and within the hour before, during and after sports broadcasts. They would also be limited to two per hour in general programming.

Anti-gambling groups have been highly critical of the government’s decision to go against the Murphy Report, which was authored by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.

However, speaking on Tuesday, Albanese defended his government’s record on addressing problem gambling.

He added: “My government has already done more in the first two years on problem gambling, by having the register to stop people who are problem gamblers. By changing the use of credit cards for gambling. By changing the rules and the declarations that come after advertising.

“But we’re continuing to engage with the media organisations, with sporting organisations, as well as the anti-gambling lobby. We’re engaging constructively. That’s what good governments do. They reach out and engage constructively.”