The Australian government has formally responded to the Murphy Report inquiry into online gambling, unveiling a comprehensive reform package that prioritises advertising restrictions and harm-reduction measures but rejects calls for a dedicated national regulator.

Released on Wednesday, the government’s response accepts the key findings of the parliamentary inquiry launched in 2023, which examined gambling-related harms across the country. The inquiry, formally titled ‘You win some, you lose more’, drew on 161 submissions, 26 exhibits and 13 public hearings conducted by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs.

The Scale of the Problem

The government’s decision to act is underscored by sobering statistics. Australians lost more than AU$32 billion on legal gambling during the 2023-24 financial year. That works out to approximately AU$1,521 per adult, the highest per capita losses globally. The Australian Institute of Family Studies estimates that around 15% of adults are either experiencing gambling-related harm or at risk of it. And here’s the kicker: research cited in the response suggests each problem gambler negatively impacts up to six other people.

What’s Actually Changing

The 31-recommendation package centres on advertising restrictions set to take effect from 1 January 2027, subject to legislation passing. This falls short of the blanket advertising ban proposed in an amendment to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 by late MP Peta Murphy. The government has opted instead for stricter harm-reduction measures while carving out exemptions for dedicated racing channels and TAB outlets.

Beyond advertising, the reforms tackle illegal operators by empowering banks to block payments to unlicensed gambling sites. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will expand its website-blocking regime to shut off access to rogue operators.

The Regulator Question

Despite recommendations for a dedicated national gambling regulator, the government has decided to keep the ACMA as the primary federal enforcement body. This may disappoint those who argued a specialised regulator was necessary to effectively police the sector, though the ACMA’s expanded powers do suggest a more muscular approach to compliance.

Support and Self-Exclusion

BetStop, Australia’s self-exclusion register, will receive enhanced promotion and improved system usability following a statutory review. The government committed AU$112.7 million over five years from 2025-26 to reduce gambling harms, with partial funding sourced from increased levies on licensed operators. On top of that, funding for the Commonwealth Financial Counselling for Gambling programme will double, expanding services to additional regions.

A national digital awareness campaign will target high-risk groups including young men aged 18-34, First Nations peoples, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The government will also commission a mandatory review of the existing ban on credit card and digital currency wagering, with authority to extend prohibitions to emerging payment methods.

The government plans to finalise legislative details through consultation with state and territory governments and industry stakeholders, particularly on matters under subnational jurisdiction such as lotteries and racing controls.