ACMA details ban on notable persons in gambling advertising

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has published guidance explaining how a new ban on using well-known figures in gambling advertising will operate, according to SBC News.

The rule stems from a reform package that cleared the Australian Parliament on 19 August and is due to come into force on 1 January 2027. Under the changes, licensed wagering service providers will be barred from using any "notable person" in advertising, and from entering sponsorship or endorsement deals involving them.

ACMA's guidance defines a notable person broadly: a current or former professional sportsperson or athlete, a current or former celebrity, a current or former social media influencer, a current or former prominent individual, or anyone placed in a category designated by the Minister for Communications.

The regulator has said the scope is deliberately wider than figures who might appeal to children, since a recognisable individual can also act as a trigger for someone already at risk of gambling harm to resume harmful behaviour.

The restriction applies across every advertising channel, including broadcast television, radio, online platforms and social media, leaving no medium exempt from the prohibition.

Responsibility for compliance sits entirely with the licensed wagering service provider rather than the individual featured in a campaign, meaning any enforcement action for a breach will be directed at the operator.

ACMA has outlined the factors it will weigh when deciding whether someone counts as a notable person in a given promotion. These include whether the individual is engaged for personal benefit, whether the association is tied closely to their personal or professional life, how widely recognised they are nationally or within a particular community, how often they appear in the media, whether they hold notable achievements that raise their public profile, and their broader capacity to influence other people's decisions.

A further point in the guidance concerns individuals whose public profile grows after a campaign begins, a scenario the regulator flagged as especially likely with influencers. If someone signed to a contract does not meet the notable person criteria at the outset but comes to meet them during the life of that agreement, the advertising material featuring them can no longer be aired once that threshold is crossed.

The guidance gives operators a clearer compliance framework ahead of the January 2027 start date, as licensed wagering service providers review existing sponsorship arrangements and advertising content against the incoming rules.