The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has launched a new campaign encouraging Australians to reconsider their gambling habits and adopt practical measures to reduce gambling-related harm.
Announced on 26 October 2026, the “Know Your Why” initiative is part of Gambling Harm Awareness Week, running from 24 to 31 October, as Victoria’s annual gambling expenditure exceeds A$7 billion.
The VGCCC has launched its 2026 Gambling Harm Awareness Week campaign under the message “Know Your Why”.
The initiative encourages players to take breaks, gamble no more than once a week and set time limits.
Australian sports stars Sam Docherty and Cameron Munster are supporting the campaign.
Victorians spend more than a 7 billion on gambling annually, including a 2.6 billion on wagering and sports betting.
The regulator has reinforced expectations for operators to maintain effective player protection systems throughout the year.
According to the VGCCC’s official announcement, the campaign encourages Victorians to reflect on how often and for how long they gamble.
Under the broader message “Bet Different. Risk Less.”, the regulator promotes three practical behaviours intended to reduce gambling-related risks.
These include taking breaks during gambling sessions, limiting betting to no more than once a week and setting a time limit before starting.
The VGCCC has enlisted former Australian Rules footballer Sam Docherty and rugby league player Cameron Munster to communicate these messages through digital content and social media.
The regulator also partnered with consumer neuroscientist Dr Phil Harris to explain how emotions and reward anticipation can influence gambling decisions.
Harris highlighted how reward-driven behaviour may reduce risk sensitivity and contribute to impulsive choices.
The campaign builds on earlier VGCCC initiatives that encourage players to set limits before using betting apps.
The campaign comes as Victoria continues to record substantial gambling expenditure.
According to figures cited by the VGCCC, residents spend more than A7billionannuallyongambling,includingA2.6 billion on wagering and sports betting.
The regulator has emphasised that gambling providers share responsibility for reducing harm through appropriate systems, controls and customer safeguards.
VGCCC Chief Executive Suzy Neilan said:
Preventing gambling harm is not a one-week campaign; it’s a year-round commitment.
The regulator also warned that it would take appropriate enforcement action against operators that fail to meet their obligations.
That position follows recent compliance activity in Victoria, including Tabcorp’s A$350,000 fine over mandatory multi-factor authentication failures.
Although the Tabcorp case concerned account security rather than awareness of gambling harm, it showed the regulator’s willingness to enforce mandatory customer protection requirements.
The new campaign does not introduce additional licensing conditions or mandatory betting limits. Instead, it reinforces the VGCCC’s existing focus on harm prevention and operator accountability.
For licensed gambling businesses and B2B technology suppliers, the initiative highlights the importance of effective customer safeguards, responsible gambling tools and reliable monitoring processes.
Similar priorities are emerging elsewhere in Australia. The Australian Capital Territory recently introduced legislation proposing mandatory cashless gaming and additional player safeguards, including loss limits and compulsory breaks.
Meanwhile, an ACMA investigation into Palmerbet’s BetStop compliance failures demonstrated how inaccurate customer records can undermine self-exclusion protections.
Together, these developments highlight the growing regulatory attention on how gambling operators implement and maintain customer protection measures.
For Victoria’s gambling industry, the VGCCC’s latest campaign reinforces a clear expectation that gambling harm prevention should remain an ongoing operational responsibility rather than a temporary awareness initiative.
