PointsBet has raised concerns that tighter gambling advertising rules could leave Australia’s licensed operators at a disadvantage while offshore bookmakers continue targeting local bettors from outside the country’s regulatory reach.
Australia’s latest push to curb gambling advertising could create an unintended problem for the regulated betting market, according to PointsBet Group CEO Andrew Catterall.
Speaking at the company’s Annual General Meeting, Catterall warned that licensed operators are preparing for a more complex and costly compliance environment, while offshore betting sites may continue operating without being subject to the same restrictions.
The comments come as Australia attempts to tighten controls around gambling promotion while simultaneously stepping up efforts to shut down illegal offshore operators.
Tougher rules are coming for betting ads
Under the newly passed Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026, wagering advertising during live sporting events will face significant restrictions.
From the new regime, gambling advertisements will be prohibited from 15 minutes before a sporting event until five minutes after it, between 5am and 8:30pm.
Television advertising outside that window will also be capped at three gambling advertisements per hour.
The reforms will further prevent wagering advertisements from featuring athletes, celebrities and influencers, significantly changing how licensed betting brands can market themselves to Australian consumers.
For regulated operators, the changes mean fewer opportunities to promote their products in one of the industry’s most valuable environments: live sport.
Offshore operators remain the big headache
That is where PointsBet sees a potential imbalance.
Licensed Australian bookmakers must comply with the country’s advertising and regulatory requirements, while offshore operators targeting Australian customers are not necessarily bound by the same rules.
Catterall argued that the government must ensure the reforms do not unintentionally make it harder for licensed companies to compete with operators outside the regulated system.
Australia has already been working to tackle the offshore market, with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) blocking access to illegal gambling websites.
But the problem has proven difficult to contain. Some offshore operators have reportedly been able to return online within hours of being blocked.
For PointsBet, stronger enforcement against these operators needs to accompany the new advertising restrictions.
Industry faces a changing advertising landscape
The reforms also arrive amid growing pressure from gambling-harm advocates, who argue that Australia’s existing advertising controls do not go far enough.
One area still attracting criticism is sports sponsorship. Gambling brands will continue to be allowed to appear on the front of sports jerseys until 2031, despite the broader restrictions on advertising.
That has created a complicated landscape for the industry.
Licensed operators are facing tighter rules around advertising and promotional activity, while campaigners are pushing for even stronger restrictions and regulators are attempting to keep offshore businesses out of the market.
PointsBet calls for stronger enforcement
Catterall’s message is ultimately focused on maintaining a level playing field.
He urged the Australian government to ensure that agencies responsible for tackling illegal gambling have sufficient resources and enforcement powers to prevent offshore operators from exploiting the restrictions placed on licensed businesses.
The concern is straightforward: if legal bookmakers lose access to major advertising channels while offshore operators continue reaching Australian consumers through alternative routes, the regulated market could become less competitive.
At the same time, the government argues that tighter advertising controls are necessary to reduce Australians’ exposure to gambling, particularly during sporting events.
The battle is moving beyond advertising
Australia is therefore facing a difficult balancing act.
The government wants to reduce gambling exposure, strengthen consumer protections and restrict illegal offshore betting. Licensed operators, meanwhile, are warning that excessive advertising restrictions could create an unintended advantage for the very offshore businesses authorities are trying to eliminate.
As the new rules move towards implementation, the effectiveness of Australia’s gambling reforms may depend on more than simply restricting legal advertising.
The key question will be whether regulators can keep offshore operators from filling the space left behind.