New South Wales government to ban gambling ads from public transport
The New South Wales (NSW) government has announced a complete ban on gambling advertisements throughout the entire public transport system in the state. This includes advertising on trains, buses, ferries, and metro stations, effectively removing gambling promotions from public spaces. This decision is part of a broader strategy to minimise gambling’s negative impact, particularly on vulnerable individuals and children.
Gambling addiction has been a serious concern in Australia, with the highest per-capita gambling losses in the world. Parents and advocacy groups have been raising alarms over the increasing presence of gambling ads and their impact on young people. Removing gambling-related advertising from public transport will reduce exposure and eventually diminish the normalisation of betting.
Decisive action by the NSW government
The will encompass train and metro stations, buses, trams, ferries, advertising spaces owned by Transport for NSW, and private advertising assets near transport hubs. The NSW Government will work with private property owners to reduce gambling promotions. In addition to the advertising ban, the NSW Government has reduced the statewide gaming machine cap, banned political donations from gambling clubs, and lowered cash input limits for new gaming machines.
Given the extensive scale of the public transport network across the state, including more than 3,500 buses, 798 advertisement assets at train stations, and many more assets distributed across trams and light rail, it will naturally take some time to implement these changes. Transport for NSW, which oversees one of Australia’s largest portfolios of public advertising assets, will ensure that gambling ads are removed from its extensive array of assets. This includes 798 advertising boards at Sydney train stations, 49 road-facing digital billboards, and ads on up to 3,711 urban buses.
The changes will be implemented over the next 12 months by the NSW Government in close collaboration with all advertising contractors to ensure compliance. This transition will be gradual yet firm, given the vast public transport network.
Government statements and justification
Transport Minister Jo Haylen stated that this move was crucial, saying, “Parents are rightly worried about the impact it has on their kids, so it’s not something that we think needs to be on our transport network.”
Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris echoed this view, noting that the ban was part of a wider suite of reforms to address gambling harm. Harris stated, “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 the harmful impacts of gambling.”
NSW has followed a similar initiative in Victoria, where the state prohibited gambling advertisements on public transport in 2017. Other countries, including the UK, have also restricted gambling advertisements to protect public health.
Addressing the larger gambling problem
Australia’s gambling industry generates annual losses of AU$25 billion, indicating a pressing need for reform. The NSW Government’s latest measures form part of a broader effort to mitigate these losses through research, treatment services, and harm prevention initiatives.
Liquor & Gaming NSW has intensified compliance operations, including a December 2024 crackdown on underage gambling, highlighting the state’s commitment to reform.
A report from the NSW Crime Commission recommended introducing a cashless gaming system by 2028 to combat money laundering in gambling. This complements the government’s ongoing reforms.
