Australia’s ACMA sets out how the 2027 ban on public figures in betting ads will work

Australia has now got a first-pass rulebook for the betting-ad ban that starts on 1 January 2027. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) says operators, not the celebrity or influencer, will carry the compliance burden — which is the part that matters if you run ads across TV, radio, news sites, gaming apps, or social media.

1. The ban is part of the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026, which the Australian parliament approved on 19 August. From 1 January 2027, betting ads in Australia will not be allowed to include any “prominent person” across television, radio, news websites, online games, and social media.
2. ACMA says the definition of a prominent person is “intentionally broad.” It is meant to catch people operators could use to encourage betting by association — in other words, by borrowing status, popularity, or likeability. The law explicitly covers professional athletes, celebrities, influencers, prominent people, and any other categories the Communications Minister may add later.
3. The ban also reaches people who have retired from sport or public life. And ACMA makes the point that the government can add new categories in the future, so this is not a neat, closed list that operators can file away and ignore.
4. For enforcement purposes, the liability sits with licensed betting operators, not with the prominent person. ACMA says sanctions will be aimed at companies that breach the rules. Operators will also be barred from entering into contracts, agreements, or other understandings to sponsor or involve a prominent person in Australian betting advertising, whether the ad runs on radio, TV, or online platforms.
5. ACMA says it will look at all relevant circumstances when deciding whether a campaign used a prominent person, including payments or other benefits received, the person’s level of recognition and public profile, media presence, and their ability to increase the perceived appeal of a product or brand. For influencers, there is no minimum follower count: the test is whether the person can influence decisions because of their profile or reputation. That status can also change over time, including after the ad has appeared.