New South Wales to Prohibit Gambling Ads on Public Transport
The government of the Australian state of New South Wales has announced its plans to ban all forms of gambling ads on public transport. The intended ban covers all ads for casinos, lottery and bookmakers. The proposal needs to be adopted in the next 12 months.
This includes advertising boards at train stations, digital billboards, urban buses, trams and several trains. The ban on gambling ads in public transport is the latest in a series of gambling reforms in Australia. Several measures have been taken in the country to limit the promotional space of gambling operators.
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Changes Implemented Over The Next 12 Months
The New South Wales government has announced plans that need to be adopted by advertising contract holders, setting a 12-month timeline for implementing the changes. Advertising suppliers must comply with the updated regulations within this period, ensuring that all promotional content aligns with relevant laws governing public transport, including trains, metro services, buses, and light rail. Currently, gambling operators use public transport to promote their land based or online gaming offer. The proposed ban also extends to train stations and ferry terminals, covering all assets owned and managed by Transport. This initiative impacts a substantial advertising network, including 798 billboards at Sydney train stations, 49 digital screens, 3,711 urban buses, and 76 trams — all of which must adhere to the new guidelines.
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Latest Measure In Series of Gambling Reforms
The latest gambling restrictions will be added to the existing rules affecting Transport’s contract holders, including a ban on political advertising. This measure is part of a wider set of gambling reforms introduced by the NSW government, which also includes a total ban on political donations from gambling venues operating electronic pokies machines, a reduction in the cash input limit, and a 2024 trial of cashless gaming in pubs and clubs. These measures were adopted in April 2023, with the Minns Labour government having prohibited external gambling signage at all pubs and clubs across New South Wales.
A comparable restriction applies to signage near ATMs in gambling venues. Since 1 July 2024, venues have been prohibited from placing ads for pokie machines on ATMs. Additionally, ATMs and similar cash machines must be positioned at a distance of at least five metres from gaming room entrances and out of sight of pokie machines. Other measures include reducing the cash input limit for new poking machines from $5000 to $500 and banning political donations from clubs operating electronic pokie machines. BetStop, Australia’s nationwide self-exclusion register was introduced in August 2023 giving Australians the chance to fully exclude themselves from gambling activities.
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About Online Gambling in Australia
Online gambling in Australia is legalised and regulated under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA). Licensed operators can legally provide sports betting, horse racing, and lottery services if they are regulated by an Australian state or territory. Although the main gambling regulatory authority in Australia is the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), gambling regulation is primarily managed at the state and territory level, with each jurisdiction having its own regulatory body. Offshore operators targeting Australian players without a local licence are illegal, and the government actively enforces restrictions, including ISP blocking and financial penalties. Despite these regulations, Australians can still access offshore gambling sites, though these platforms operate in a legal grey area.
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