Australia’s Social Media Ban May Be Benefiting Gambling Companies

The new rules require major social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok to prevent users under 16 from accessing their platforms. The platforms themselves are responsible for the distribution, not parents or schools, and they will face penalties if they fail to enforce age limits.

The federal government has framed the ban as a child safety measure aimed at reducing online harm, bullying, and excessive screen time. Australia is among the first countries to introduce such wide-reaching restrictions on social media use by teenagers.

At the same time, the ban does not apply to all digital platforms. Online gambling websites and betting apps remain accessible to adults, and gambling advertising rules remain largely unchanged at a federal level.

Some advocacy groups now claim that there’s a contrast that’s hard to ignore. While social media platforms now face strict obligations and enforcement pressure, gambling advertising continues to appear widely across television, live sport, and digital media.

They say this has created the impression of a double standard. Social media companies are being heavily regulated over potential harm to young users, while gambling companies continue to promote products linked to addiction and financial harm – and they mostly appear to young users as well.

Some point out that the government previously hinted at stronger action on gambling advertising, including possible restrictions on online and broadcast ads. Those reforms have yet to materialise, even as the social media ban moved rather quickly from proposal to law. So, if there’s a will, there’s a way.

Several analysts say gambling companies could actually benefit indirectly from the new rules. Tighter controls on social media may push advertising budgets away from platforms like Meta and TikTok and toward channels where gambling ads remain common, including television, sponsorships, and outdoor advertising.

Gambling operators already rely heavily on live sport and traditional media, which are all areas where advertising remains highly visible. Reduced competition for ad space from social media companies could strengthen that position for gambling companies.

The controversy has grown following reports linking a major pro-ban advocacy campaign to an advertising agency that also works closely with gambling brands.

While there is no evidence that gambling companies directly influenced the social media ban, critics say the overlap shows how closely public policy, advertising, and commercial interests are now connected.

They argue this makes transparency around advocacy campaigns more important, especially when those campaigns influence major national laws like the social media ban.

The federal government has since rejected claims that the social media ban benefits gambling companies, claiming that the policy is focused solely on child safety.

Ministers have said gambling advertising remains a separate policy issue and have pointed to existing state and federal regulations as evidence that the industry is already controlled. Major gambling companies have largely stayed quiet on the social media ban, and haven’t shared many public comments on whether the new rules will affect their advertising strategies.

According to critics, however, the government has chosen a popular target in social media companies and has deliberately avoided tougher action against industries with more substantial commercial and political influence, like gambling.

On the other side, supporters of the ban argue that the policy should be judged on its own merits, and protecting children justifies decisive action.