Gambling ad rules in 2026: Australia's new law, UK bonus caps and Ireland's watershed

Australia's Parliament passed the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 on 19 August 2026, and its main wagering advertising restrictions are due to start on 1 January 2027. This is the biggest gambling advertising change of the year, but it is not the only one. The UK capped bonus wagering requirements in January 2026. Ireland has a 5:30am to 9pm broadcast watershed written into law, but it has not started yet. Below we set out which rules are in force, which are coming, and which are still undecided.

Gambling ad rules change piecemeal, so this piece sticks to rules we could check in primary or reputable sources, with dates. Where reports disagree, we say so.

Australia: the biggest change of 2026

The Australian Government announced its package on 2 April 2026, including a ban on wagering advertising during live sport and in sports venues, with the reforms set to begin from 1 January 2027. The bill passed Parliament on 19 August 2026.

A legal summary by Johnson Winter Slattery sets out the main broadcast rules. Between 5:00am and 8:30pm, TV broadcasters are limited to three wagering ads per 60 minutes. No wagering ads may run from 15 minutes before to 5 minutes after live sport. Radio wagering ads are banned from 8:00am to 9:00am and from 3:00pm to 4:00pm, around school drop-off and pick-up. Online content services must stop minors, and people who have opted out, from seeing wagering ads, and must check a national opt-out register every 14 days.

Gaming Intelligence reported that the law also bans wagering ads in sports venues and on uniforms, and bans athletes, celebrities and influencers from promoting wagering. Senet's summary adds three more changes. Wagering staff and third parties can no longer be paid commissions linked to a customer's gambling. The live sport blackout will start 15 minutes before play instead of 5. The opt-out register will start later, on a date set by proclamation.

For comparison, ACMA's current rule for live sport on TV and radio bans gambling ads from 5 minutes before the scheduled start until 5 minutes after play, between 5:00am and 8:30pm. SCCG noted that the new law does not include the full advertising ban recommended in the parliamentary report known as the Murphy report. These rules cover wagering (sports and race betting), which is the licensed online gambling product in Australia. Our Australia hub covers the local market.

United Kingdom: appeal, bonuses and marketing consent

In the UK, the content of ads is governed by the CAP and BCAP codes, which the ASA enforces. Since 2022 the test has been whether an ad has "strong" appeal to under-18s, a stricter standard than the old "particular" appeal test. On 14 October 2025, CAP and BCAP updated their guidance. It now says that at least 100,000 social media followers registered as under-18, counted across platforms, indicates strong appeal. The update also gives more detail on adult-centric and non-adult-centric sports.

The Gambling Commission has changed how offers can be built. From 19 January 2026, bonus wagering requirements are capped at 10 times. Promotions that require customers to take part in two or more types of gambling, such as betting and slots, are banned. Separately, from 1 May 2025, operators have had to let customers opt in to direct marketing by product type and channel. Our wagering requirements analysis covers the bonus cap in detail.

The best-known UK rule is still voluntary. The whistle-to-whistle ban, agreed by the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling and in place since summer 2019, stops TV betting ads from five minutes before to five minutes after live sport shown before the watershed. Horse and greyhound racing are exempt.

Ireland: a watershed in law that has not yet started

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) was established on 5 March 2025 under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024. The Act includes a statutory watershed that bans gambling advertising on television, radio and on-demand audiovisual media between 5:30am and 9:00pm.

A ministerial order took effect on 5 February 2026, allowing the GRAI to license remote operators from 1 July 2026 and in-person operators from 1 December 2026. Online casino licences are not expected before 2027. Some reports at the time, including one from Gambling Insider, described the watershed as taking effect with that order. The GRAI said something different in June 2026: it told the Racing Post that the advertising regulations must be commenced by the minister before they take effect, and that the timing is a matter for the department. We found no commencement order for the advertising rules as of 24 September 2026. See our Ireland hub for local context.

The Netherlands: from untargeted ads to sponsorship

The Netherlands moved in stages. A ban on untargeted advertising for online gambling began on 1 July 2023. It covers television, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, bus shelters and publicly accessible buildings. The sponsorship ban came next: programme and event sponsorship ended on 1 July 2024, and shirt sponsorship and deals with teams, competitions and individual athletes ended on 1 July 2025. iGaming Business reported that the Kansspelautoriteit said it would take immediate enforcement action against breaches.

Germany and Italy: rules that are already established

Some markets tightened years ago. Under Germany's 2021 State Treaty on Gambling, ads for virtual slot machines, online poker and online casino games are banned on broadcast media and the internet every day between 6:00 and 21:00. Italy's Decreto Dignità (Law 96/2018) banned most gambling advertising from 14 July 2018 and extended the ban to sponsorship from 1 January 2019.

How the markets compare

What is confirmed and what is not yet known

Confirmed: Australia's law has passed and its main advertising rules are due to start on 1 January 2027. The UK's 10x bonus cap and mixed-product ban have applied since 19 January 2026. The Dutch sponsorship ban has been fully in force since 1 July 2025.

Not yet known: when Ireland's watershed will start, and when Australia's national advertising opt-out register will launch, since it depends on a proclamation. Reporting on Australia's broadcast hours also varies. We have used the 5:00am to 8:30pm window given in the Johnson Winter Slattery legal summary, but some general news coverage gave 6am. The final legislation will settle this.

What it means for players

In these markets you will see fewer gambling ads around live sport and in family viewing hours. In the UK, a bonus can no longer require more than 10 times wagering, so check the terms of any offer. Our responsible gambling guide explains the tools that let you cut marketing and set limits.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Department of Infrastructure (Australia) - Gambling Reforms 2026
2. Johnson Winter Slattery - Changes to Australian gambling advertising laws
3. Gaming Intelligence - Australian Parliament passes Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill
4. Senet - Australia's gambling advertising reforms: the current state of play
5. ACMA - Gambling ads during live sport on broadcast TV and radio
6. SCCG Management - Australia passes Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2026
7. ASA and CAP - CAP and BCAP update guidance on protecting under-18s
8. Gambling Commission - Gambling promotions to be safer and simpler
9. Gambling Commission - New rules boosting safety and consumer choice
10. Gambling Insider - Whistle-to-whistle UK gambling ad ban confirmed
11. SBC News - GRAI begins duties as Gambling Authority of Ireland
12. Citizens Information - Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland
13. gov.ie - Minister signs order to allow the GRAI to begin issuing licences
14. Gambling Insider - Ireland gambling regulator opens licensing
15. Racing Post - New era of gambling regulation in Ireland set to commence next week
16. iGaming Business - Game over for gambling sponsorship in Dutch sport
17. LFK - Glücksspielstaatsvertrag FAQ
18. Withers - The implications of Italy's ban on gambling advertisements