Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026

Summary

This amendment tightens rules around online gambling in Australia by modifying the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to give regulators stronger powers to control betting websites and online casino games. The changes likely include stricter licensing requirements, tougher penalties for illegal operators, and new protections for problem gamblers—such as mandatory spending limits and self-exclusion tools that work across multiple platforms. For everyday Australians, this means online betting sites will face tighter oversight, making it harder for unlicensed or irresponsible operators to offer services, while people struggling with gambling addiction will have better tools to protect themselves.

What happens at this stage

The main debate on whether the chamber supports the broad purpose of the bill. Members speak to its overall merits and concerns rather than the fine print. The government outlines its policy intentions; the opposition and crossbench put their case. This is the stage that determines whether the bill proceeds at all.

Next: Consideration in Detail (House) or Committee of the Whole (Senate), where the bill is examined clause by clause