Australia

Star Entertainment has reported a A$307.3 million loss for the 2026 financial year. The Australian casino operator continues to face difficult trading conditions and major regulatory challenges.

Australia’s new gambling advertising laws will ban wagering company logos from sports uniforms, but existing sponsorship agreements could allow betting brands to remain on some jerseys until the end of 2031.

New South Wales will make facial recognition technology mandatory at gaming room entrances from 2028 as part of a major gambling reform package designed to strengthen self-exclusion and reduce gambling harm.

Crown Sydney and The Star Sydney have been fined a combined A$2.25 million after a 16-year-old used a fraudulent driver's licence to repeatedly enter and gamble at both casinos. The teenager visited Crown Sydney 19 times and The Star Sydney three times between April and August 2025.

Australia has passed major gambling reforms that will significantly restrict how betting companies advertise to consumers. The new rules target wagering promotions during live sport, celebrity endorsements, television and radio advertising, and online marketing.

Australian gamblers are being targeted by illegal offshore casinos using fake versions of some of the country's best-known gambling brands. A recently uncovered operation has used names including Crown Melbourne, The Star Sydney and The Lott to make unregulated gambling sites appear legitimate, with players directed to fake app-store pages through social media advertising.

Australia's gambling reform debate has intensified after politicians from across the political spectrum pushed for a complete ban on betting inducements. The proposed changes could significantly reshape how bookmakers attract and retain customers while strengthening consumer protections.

Australian politicians are stepping up calls for tougher gambling advertising laws, arguing the Federal Government's proposed reforms fall short of what is needed to reduce gambling harm. The growing debate could shape the future of betting advertising across television, online platforms and live sport.

Australian authorities have issued a warning over a growing wave of fake gambling websites, known as "scambling" sites, that imitate legitimate betting operators. The fraudulent platforms are designed to steal money, collect personal information and, in some cases, recruit victims into money laundering schemes.

Global betting operator bet365 has agreed to strengthen its anti-money laundering controls after AUSTRAC identified deficiencies in its compliance framework. The move forms part of a broader regulatory push aimed at improving financial crime safeguards across Australia's gambling industry.