Australia’s gambling sector is facing a major shake-up as significant reforms to the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) regime are set to take effect in March 2026, according to experts from Senet, an Australian gaming law and compliance firm.
The changes will impact existing reporting entities, including casinos, gaming venues and wagering operators, as well as a wider range of high-risk service providers not previously covered by AML/CTF obligations, such as lawyers, accountants and real estate agents.
‘Operators in the gambling sector will need to undertake a thorough review of their compliance programs well ahead of the 2026 deadline,’ said the legal review by Senet Principals, Daniel Lovecek and Alexandra Hoskins. ‘The reforms expand what needs to be covered in AML/CTF programs, from detailed risk assessments to internal controls, and include new obligations around customer due diligence and proliferation financing.’
Among the key reforms, gaming operators must now consolidate all risk-management procedures into their AML/CTF initiatives, and risk assessments must explicitly consider the possibility of their services being exploited for money laundering, terrorism financing, or the proliferation of weapons.
Enhanced Customer Due Diligence (CDD) measures will also come into sharper focus, particularly for high-risk customers, including politically exposed persons and those using cryptocurrencies.
The Senet experts emphasized that the reforms, designed to align Australia with global standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), could require operational adjustments for many operators. ‘Even established casinos and wagering operators that currently comply with existing AML/CTF rules will need to update their programs to address new requirements,’ reads the legal analysis.
Other changes include lowering transaction thresholds for CDD from AU$10,000 ($6,507) to AU$5,000 ($3,253), introducing a more flexible structure for reporting groups, and updating rules around electronic value transfers and bearer negotiable instruments. Legal professional privilege protections will also be clarified under the new framework.
The 2026 reforms are being seen by industry insiders as both a challenge and an opportunity.
‘These changes will increase the compliance burden, but they also allow operators to streamline risk management and better protect their business from criminal exploitation,’ argued the two compliance experts.
Senet has advised gambling operators to start reviewing their governance, risk frameworks, and AML/CTF programs immediately to ensure a smooth transition when the reforms take effect.
