Australia will prohibit foreign-matched lotteries and online keno from January 1, 2027, after the country passed the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026.
The measures form part of broader changes to Australia’s gambling framework, which also cover online gambling advertising and the continued development of the national self-exclusion register, BetStop.
Foreign-matched lottery services allow Australian customers to participate in lottery draws conducted overseas, including US Powerball and EuroMillions. Several businesses currently provide access to these products under licences issued in the Northern Territory.
Four businesses currently offer foreign-matched lottery draws, according to Lottery Daily. One of them, the Lottery Office, has opposed the legislative change and argued that it will reduce the range of options available to Australian consumers. The company also questioned whether removing the product would contribute to reducing gambling harm.
The Lottery Office will continue offering foreign-matched lottery services until the new restrictions take effect in 2027.
Lottery Corporation Backs Legislative Change
The Lottery Corporation, Australia’s largest lottery company, has welcomed the prohibition. Chief executive Wayne Pickup said licensed lottery operators operate under obligations designed to protect consumers and maintain confidence in the 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 Australia’s gambling market. The restrictions will not affect keno offered through licensed land-based venues, allowing the product to continue operating in pubs and clubs.
For the Lottery Corporation, discontinuing online keno will have a financial impact. Pickup estimated the annual effect based on the company’s FY26 performance.
“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.
“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.”
Keno Shifts Toward Licensed Venues
The removal of online keno means the Lottery Corporation will concentrate further on its existing land-based keno operations through licensed venues.
The company’s approach will focus on its established relationships with venues across Australia’s eastern seaboard, where its keno operations already form part of the pub and club sector.
The ban on foreign-matched lotteries and online keno will take effect on January 1, 2027, bringing both products under the restrictions introduced through the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2026.
The changes sit alongside other measures in Australia’s gambling reform programme, including tighter rules affecting gambling advertising and further work on BetStop, the country’s national self-exclusion scheme.
Australia’s decision will therefore affect operators currently offering overseas lottery draw access under Northern Territory licences, while also ending online keno. Licensed physical venues will remain able to offer keno after the 2027 changes take effect.
Source:
“Australia to ban foreign-matched lotteries and online keno from 2027”, completeigaming.com, Septembre 2, 2026
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