I tried to block Crown gambling spam on my phone. It kept coming. I said that if I were a recovering gambling addict, the ads could be extremely harmful. After that the ads came much more frequently. Google sent a response that they could not remove the ads from the internet because they are not dangerous. I replied that I simply wanted to block them from my phone. Google sent the same irrelevant response. Google and Crown are making money out of problem gamblers’ misery. What can be done? – Michael, NSW
Kat says: Gambling ads are highly controversial in Australia. They seem to saturate our media, and while governments are taking steps to limit them, they still feel pervasive.
If you’re receiving gambling ads directly to your phone, via text message for instance, the Spam Act 2003 and the Spam Regulations 2021 set out clear rules, which I have written about before.
In brief, anyone wanting to send you marketing texts needs to obtain your consent. This means you have to agree to receive gambling ads via text to your phone. Importantly, whoever is sending you direct ads needs to offer you an easy way to opt out, and once you have opted out, they have to honour your request within five working days.
If this is what’s happened to you (Crown has sent direct advertising to your phone via text, you have opted out, and they have continued to text you) then you should make a complaint to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma), which can investigate.
The government has also pledged to introduce a one-stop register that will allow you to opt out of all online betting ads
As for ads in your browser, like those that pop up when you’re browsing Google and other websites, the rules are different, although they are changing.
Currently, there are tight controls around advertising for banned services, which include online casinos, live sports betting and unlicensed offshore betting sites. It’s unlikely Crown casino is advertising these to you, but if it is, you should report it to Acma immediately. You can also make a complaint to the NSW Liquor and Gaming Authority.
Further, gambling ads are not allowed to be misleading or socially irresponsible. This means that gambling ads are not allowed to target children, make exaggerated claims, suggest gambling is a way to achieve success or make a connection between gambling and alcohol. If the ads you’re seeing have done any of the above, you should, again, make a report to Acma and the NSW Liquor and Gaming Authority.
If the ads you’re seeing in your browser don’t fall within the above parameters, there’s unfortunately not much you can do in terms of taking action against Google or Crown casino. However, this is starting to change.
The federal government is rolling out new laws over the next three years to limit gambling ads. From 1 January 2027, to have gambling ads presented to you in the first place, you will need to be over 18, logged into a website and have your age verified. All online services must also offer an opt-out function for gambling ads on their platforms.
So, theoretically, from the start of next year you should find it easier to opt out of gambling ads on all online platforms. Moreover, if you stay logged out of sites and don’t verify your age, you shouldn’t even see those ads in the first place. If online services continue to serve you ads after this date, in contravention of the new rules, you can complain to Acma.
The government has also pledged to introduce a one-stop register that will allow you to opt out of all online betting ads, so you do not have to take a piecemeal, site-by-site approach. It is still unclear how this register will work.
In the meantime, there are some technical steps to help limit the ads you see through your browser. Google has instructions about how you can customise what you see through its My Ad Centre function.
Once you’ve navigated to My Ad Centre, there’s a tab for “sensitive” ads, which lets you toggle to limit the gambling ads you see. It also includes alcohol, dating, pregnancy, parenting and weight loss. Unfortunately, Google cannot guarantee you won’t be exposed to these ads, even once you’ve opted out, because you need to be logged into your Google account for the limitation to take effect. If you’re not logged in, your preferences won’t count.
Further, ads that aren’t necessarily about the thing you’ve opted out of might still feature that thing. Google gives the example of opting out of ads about alcohol, but still seeing an ad for an airline in which a customer is pictured sipping a glass of champagne.
Your search activity also affects the ads you see, so if you’ve searched for something gambling adjacent (for instance, a restaurant inside the Crown complex), the algorithm might insert ads it thinks are relevant, including gambling ads, into your search results. Further, and ironically, if you’ve searched for information about how to stop gambling ads, it’s within the realm of possibility that opaque algorithms have picked up on your queries and are feeding you more ads based on your search terms.
Installing an adblocker is another measure you could take. Most adblockers have a free option, but come with a paid premium option which will give you more scope in the types of nuisances you can block – like pop-ups – along with a higher level of protection against unwanted ads.
The current regulatory environment means steps to change your preferences and block ads are the best options for yielding short-term changes to the ads you’re seeing. But come the new year you’ll have more rights in relation to opting out of gambling ads.
If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, you can contact Gambling Help online or via phone on 1800 858 858 for 24/7, free and anonymous support.
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