New South Wales to Prohibit Gambling Advertising on Public Transport

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has embarked on a significant initiative to combat gambling-related harm. The Australian state announced plans to remove all forms of gambling-related advertising on public transport within its borders.

Liquor & Gaming New South Wales confirmed that the sweeping ban will apply to all casino, lottery, and sports betting ads. It will limit internal and external adverts on state-owned infrastructure like trains, buses, metro, train stations, light rail, and ferry terminals. The new leaf is meant to reduce the visibility of gambling promotions that have grown common on public transport.

A Rising Concern

Commenting on the development, Jo Haylen, NSW's Minster for Transport, expressed support for the ban, stating that the influence of gambling ads on children had become concerning. She said, "Parents are rightly worried about the impact it has on their kids, so it's not something that we think that needs to be on our transport network."

The government confirmed that it will work closely with advertising contractors to enforce the ban within the next 12 months. Considering the scale of NSW's public transport network – over 3,700 buses, 798 advert boards in train stations, 49 roadside digital billboards, 76 trams, and the entire Tangara train fleet – it will take time to implement the changes.

Part of a Bigger Plan

The gambling ad ban aligns with the Minns Labor Government's reforms to limit gambling-related harm. Some laws aimed at the same are already effective, including:

• Reduced statewide gaming machine entitlement limit
• Prohibition of donations with political affiliations in clubs with gaming machines
• Reduced bet limits for new gaming machines
• Gambling signage restrictions in venues with gaming machines

David Harris, the NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing, explained, "This move will reduce the public's exposure to gambling advertising and builds on the suite of reforms the government has introduced over the past 20 months to reduce harmful impacts of gambling."

Mounting Regulatory Action

With growing public pressure to limit the reach of gambling promotions, Liquor & Gaming NSW has been running compliance operations to increase scrutiny and regulatory action in the sector. In December 2024, the authority enforced strict ID checks to prevent underage gambling.

NSW Crime Commission also highlighted concerns about pokies being used as money laundering fronts. The commission suggested implementing a statewide cashless gaming system by 2028 as a solution.