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Australia’s Gambling Ad Ban Starts 1 January. Here’s How Broad “Notable People” Really Is.
Australia’s regulator has published its first guidance on the ban on notable people in gambling ads, starting 1 January 2027. There is no minimum follower count, and the licensed provider carries the risk. Here is what operators and agencies should check.
Roland Cinco 4 min read
Signal Spotlight · Australia's gambling ad rules and influencer marketing
What happened
According to Gaming.net, World Casino News and Xinhua, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) published initial industry guidance on 19 October 2026. It covers the definition of a notable person, examples in and out of scope, how ACMA will assess cases, the "authorise or cause" provision and exceptions.
The prohibition comes from the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026. Gaming.net says Parliament passed the bill on 19 August and the Act was enacted on 26 August. Gambling advertising, broadcast or online, cannot feature a notable person. The coverage lists television, radio, news websites, online games and social media. Licensed interactive wagering providers also cannot enter into arrangements for a notable person to promote wagering ads in Australia.
Who counts. Current or former professional athletes, celebrities, social media influencers and prominent individuals, plus any class the Minister for Communications determines. ACMA calls the definition "purposefully broad", per Gaming.net. It looks at context, public recognition, media exposure, achievements and influence over others.
No thresholds. There is no fixed follower count or verification requirement. Gaming.net says the guidance notes a creator with fewer than 10,000 followers may still be notable if recognised within a niche community. World Casino News says fictional characters are covered if the promotion benefits from the person's public recognition.
Becoming notable mid-campaign. Gaming.net reports that if someone becomes notable during a campaign, the provider must stop showing the content and may contravene the rules if it does not take all reasonably available steps to withdraw it. Each showing of content featuring a notable person is a separate contravention.
The racing exception. It applies only where the wagering content relates solely or principally to racing and runs on a dedicated racing program, channel or online service. Both conditions must be met.
Who is liable. The obligation sits with the licensed provider. Enforcement and any penalties would apply to the provider, not the notable person. Neither source states penalty amounts.
What the coverage does not say
Offshore reach is not addressed. The articles we read do not say whether the rules apply to operators outside Australia whose campaigns target Australians. We did not read the guidance itself, so we cannot say whether it covers this.
Grandfathering is not described for notable-person deals. Gaming.net reports that sports-related advertising arrangements entered into before 2 July 2026 are grandfathered until 31 December 2031. That relates to the separate ban on ads on uniforms and at sports venues. We found nothing saying notable-person arrangements get the same treatment.
This is initial guidance. Gaming.net says ACMA plans compliance alerts and investigation reports after commencement, and may issue more formal guidance on the notable persons provision later.
Why it matters
The signal is how broad the test is and where the risk sits. "Notable" is judged case by case, so there is no safe follower number to hide behind. A creator who is unknown today can become notable during a campaign, and the provider is the one who has to react. A contract that does not allow quick removal of content is a problem under that test, in our reading.
There is about ten weeks between the guidance and the start date. This is a short window for audits, but the coverage does not say how much work operators have already done.
Related briefs
- Australia bans athletes and celebrities from gambling adsACMA's guidance on enforcing Australia's notable-people ban, effective 1 January 2027, gives operators and agencies roughly ten weeks to restructure every ambassador and influencer arrangement tied to Australian gambling marketing. The ban covers athletes, celebrities, and influencers, which eliminates the primary creative format most operators use for performance and brand campaigns in that market.…Regulatory · Australia
- Australia's BetStop Enforcement Pattern Is a Preview, and Operators Are Making the Same Two MistakesThis isn't one investigation, it's a sustained campaign, Buddybet, Ultrabet, Tabcorp, Ladbrokes, Dabble Sports, and more, fined over and over for the same two failures: not closing accounts and continuing to market to people who self-excluded. Parliament just passed legislation to raise the stakes further, effective January 1, 2027. The Philippines has no equivalent system yet, which makes this the moment to study the pattern, not repeat it.iGaming
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