TLDR Australia’s Parliament passed the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 on August 19. The law creates a red-flag system requiring wagering companies to identify at-risk customers and stop sending them betting offers. A new opt-out register called Adstop lets Australians block online gambling ads. New rules ban bonus bets for the first 14 days after signup and ban staff commissions tied to customer betting activity. ACMA investigated 76 gambling sites and referred 187 websites for blocking between April and June 2026.
Australia has passed a new set of gambling reform laws designed to reduce harm from online betting. Parliament approved the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 on August 19.
The bill changes how wagering companies operate across several areas. These include advertising, bonus offers, staff pay, and protections for vulnerable customers.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority, known as ACMA, will oversee parts of the new system. The changes are part of a larger push to tighten federal rules on online betting.
New Red-Flag System for Customers
One of the biggest changes is a red-flag process for customers showing signs of gambling harm. Wagering companies must identify these customers and stop offering them further bonuses or incentives.
The exact rules for flagging a customer will be set later through regulation. ACMA will oversee the system, but betting companies will play a large role in deciding who gets flagged.
Some gambling-harm campaigners and lawmakers have raised concerns about this. They argue that betting companies should not have such a large role in identifying harm among their own customers.
Still, the law creates a formal duty to act once signs of harm appear. Companies that ignore red flags could face enforcement action.
Adstop and Tougher Rules on Bonus Offers
The reforms also create a new