Credit: Marin Tulard via Unsplash
Media platforms including Reddit, SBS and Meta had already tightened controls around gambling advertising before the federal government announced reforms.
The platforms introduced measures including brand suitability controls, content exclusions and user opt-out tools to limit gambling ad exposure and give consumers greater control.
For Reddit, the focus has been on contextual sensitivity and user controls.
“We don’t have advertising in gambling communities, and we don’t have any advertising in sensitive communities - whether that’s related to things like drinking or drugs,” said a Reddit spokesperson.
In an interview with AdNews, Reddit Australia sales manager Ryan Day said Reddit allowed users to opt out of gambling-related advertising categories through the platform’s native settings for years.
“You can opt out of these categories. ‘I don’t want to see any alcohol ads’ - absolutely, you can do that,” he said.
On the incoming gambling reforms, Day said Reddit’s policy team were continuing to work closely with government around compliance requirements.
“We have a policy team that liaises really closely with the government on any law changes, and of course we’ll always abide by any new laws that come about,” he said.
SBS has taken a similar audience-control approach, becoming the first broadcaster globally to introduce category-level advertising opt-outs.
The broadcaster launched its advertising opt-out tool in 2024, allowing viewers to toggle off categories including betting and wagering, alcohol and quick service restaurants.
AdNews understands more than 16,000 users have opted out of at least one advertising category since the tool launched, with gambling the most-selected category.
The function was fully integrated into SBS On Demand by February this year.
The move predates the federal reforms and reflects growing audience demand for greater control over sensitive advertising categories.
Meta has approached gambling adjacency through advertiser-side brand suitability controls across Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
The platform offers tools including topic exclusions, publisher block lists, placement opt-outs and third-party content block lists designed to help advertisers limit exposure around gambling-adjacent content.
Third-party block lists are available through partners including DoubleVerify, IAS, Scope3 and Zefr, and are now also available on Threads Feed.
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