Australian advocates seek age checks for betting apps under online safety bill
The Alliance for Gambling Reform says safeguards should address children using adult accounts, not just age restrictions at registration.
Key points
- Advocates presented their proposals to a Senate committee on November 10.
- The alliance wants wagering services included in age-assurance requirements.
- A second proposal would recognize encouragement of prohibited betting as harmful to children.
- The Northern Territory already requires wagering providers to prevent under-18s from accessing their platforms.
Australian gambling reform advocates have urged lawmakers to include betting services and apps in age-check requirements under a federal online safety bill, arguing that children can access wagering accounts registered by adults.
Alliance for Gambling Reform chief executive Sunita Bose and advocate Mark Kempster presented their case to the Senate Environment and Communication Legislation Committee on Tuesday, November 10, GamblingNews.com reported.
The committee was examining the Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026. The measure would impose a statutory duty of care on platforms, games and AI services to mitigate online harms for under-18s.
The alliance’s concern extends beyond age restrictions when a customer registers. It wants effective barriers to stop children from accessing wagering services through an adult’s account after registration.
Its first proposed amendment would add wagering services to age-assurance requirements. A second would recognize material or conduct that encourages a child to engage in prohibited betting as harmful to children.
The proposals follow evidence the alliance presented on October 30, 2026. The wider bill was introduced to Parliament on October 15, 2026 and would establish minimum safety standards for online services, according to the report.
The alliance pointed to the Northern Territory, where wagering providers must ensure that under-18s cannot access their platforms. It is seeking to put comparable requirements in the federal framework.
Sources
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