Labor, Coalition agree gambling can police itself. Good luck with that

August 18, 2026 — 7:30pm

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Liberal senator Sarah Henderson has secured a spot atop Anthony Albanese’s Christmas card list.

The Coalition spokeswoman for communications has spent years attacking the government over gambling. Now she has helped the prime minister neutralise one of Labor’s awkward political problems.

Labor’s caucus signed off on a deal with the Coalition that creates a register for people to opt out of being shown gambling advertising online, funded by a levy on betting companies and subject to review after three years.

Live television will face slightly tighter restrictions than planned. Gambling ads will be banned for 15 minutes before a match – ads during play are already banned – and the three-ads-per-hour limit will begin an hour earlier than first proposed, at 5am.

There are also new restrictions on inducements. New betting customers will face a 14-day wait before being offered bonus bets or similar incentives. People leaving BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, will face a 90-day wait to return to betting. Wagering companies must identify risk indicators and cannot offer inducements to........

© Brisbane Times