Government agrees to ad opt-out register in deal with Coalition to pass gambling reforms
Labor and the Coalition agreed on an opt‑out register to curb gambling ads, a key part of the government's reform bill.Summary
A tentative deal between Labor and the Coalition has established a one‑stop shop for Australians to opt out of wagering advertising online, a central feature of the federal government's gambling reforms. The agreement includes a “triple lock” system that would restrict gambling ads on social media, streaming and other platforms to logged‑in users verified as over 18, while also allowing every adult to opt out of seeing such ads. Industry voices have raised concerns about the feasibility and funding of the new opt‑out register, which would be administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and financed through a cost‑recovery mechanism from gambling companies. The bill has also been shaped by a Senate inquiry that produced a single recommendation to pass the legislation, though dissenting reports from the Greens and Senator David Pocock called for stronger measures such as a complete ban on online gambling ads and a national regulator.
(Source：ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation))