Fines or Jail for Gambling Industry Gifts to Political Entities of $250 or More
Electoral (Gambling Industry) Amendment Bill 2026
Independent BillTopics
anti-corruption campaign finance criminal penalties elections gambling gambling industry government accountability lobbying political donations political ethics
Introduced by: Thomas Emerson MLA (IND)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
Gambling industry entities cannot give gifts of $250 or more to political entities in a financial year; doing so is a criminal offence.
People who give gifts on behalf of gambling industry entities or solicit such gifts face the same criminal penalties.
Political entities commit an offence if they accept these gifts; they must take reasonable steps to ensure the gift is not from the gambling industry.
It is a criminal offence to carry out a scheme to avoid these gift rules.
Offenders face up to 6 months in prison; they may also be fined up to 50 penalty units (2026: $8,000).
Gifts now include party membership subscriptions over $250; they also include the value of meeting facilities provided for free or at a discount.
Givers must pay the Territory an amount equal to any gift given to a political entity if the total for the year is less than $250.
If a political entity accepts a gift of less than $250 from the gambling industry without checking its source, the political entity must pay an equal amount to the Territory.
News articles and press releases
Inquiry launched into bill banning gambling donations
Thomas Emerson MLA, Independent — 2026-06-29
Our community overwhelmingly wants to see meaningful gambling reform. But financial ties to the gambling industry have kept the major parties from taking bold action to tackle the immense harm caused by this industry.