Australia will prohibit foreign-matched lottery services and online keno from January 1, 2027, following passage of the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026. The measures form part of wider changes to the country’s gambling framework, which also include tighter advertising controls and further development of BetStop, the national self-exclusion scheme.
Foreign-matched lotteries let Australian customers enter draws conducted overseas, including US Powerball and EuroMillions. Four businesses currently provide these services under licences issued in the Northern Territory. The Lottery Office, one of those operators, has challenged the change and questioned whether removing foreign-matched lotteries will reduce gambling harm or give consumers meaningful protection.
The Lottery Office will continue offering the service until the new restrictions begin in 2027.
Lottery Sector Divided Over The Ban
The Lottery Corporation, Australia’s largest lottery company, has welcomed the legislation. Chief executive Wayne Pickup said licensed operators carry obligations intended to protect customers and preserve confidence in the lottery market.
“Australia’s lottery market is regulated by design to protect consumers, to safeguard integrity and to return money to the community. A licensed lottery operator carries real obligations: responsible gaming, security, auditing, probity, guaranteed prize funding and public returns. That is the price of a license, and it is why people trust a lottery ticket.”
The legislation will also remove online keno from the Australian market. Keno offered through licensed physical venues will remain available, allowing pubs and clubs to continue providing the product.
The change will affect the Lottery Corporation financially. Pickup estimated that ending its online keno operation would reduce annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation by about AU$25 million, or US$18 million, based on FY26 results.
“The full year impact of discontinuing online Keno for us would be circa AU$25 million (US$18 million) of EBITDA based on FY26,” indicated Pickup.
Company Shifts Focus To Physical Venues
The Lottery Corporation plans to increase its focus on venue-based keno following the online ban. Pickup pointed to the company’s established presence across Australia’s eastern seaboard and its relationships with pubs and clubs.
“Our response is to double down on Keno in licensed venues. We have longstanding relationships with venues and we’re well and truly embedded in the eastern seaboard pub and club ecosystem.”
The restrictions will leave licensed physical venues able to offer keno while ending its online form. Operators providing foreign-matched lottery products under Northern Territory licences will also have to cease those services once the new law takes effect.
The 2027 restrictions sit within a broader gambling reform programme that includes changes to online gambling advertising and continued development of BetStop. The reforms will bring both foreign-matched lotteries and online keno under the new restrictions from January 1, 2027.
The Lottery Office will therefore retain its foreign-matched lottery operations through the remainder of 2026, while the Lottery Corporation prepares to place greater emphasis on its venue-based keno business after the transition. The changes mark a significant adjustment for operators currently serving Australian customers through these products.
Source:
“Australia to ban foreign-matched lotteries and online keno from 2027”, completeigaming.com, September 2, 2026
