Actually it was Tim Costello and his Anti Gambling group
If we're talking
actual fact, lets get them correct.
It was Xenophon and his Tassie mate Wilkie, who truly deserve our contention. Both held a vendetta against pokies for years. Well before reforms to the online gambling bill came to light.
Partly thanks to licensed AU sportsbooks accepting 'in game betting' (it was illegal), this gave Xenophon a soap box. Subsequently spearheading reforms to the 2001 AU interactive gambling bill. The 2017 IGA Bill was his baby, and he fought hammer and nail to get it through parliament, and passed into law.
Not long after the IGA Bill had passed. You may recall, a few AU Politicians came under fire regarding their dual-citizenship's. Xenophon was included in that group. No one with dual-citizenship was permitted to hold a parliamentary seat in Australia. Briefs were prepared and rulings for those caught in this mess, were apparently sought from the High Court. Never did here the results of those cases, they all seemed to be swept under the carpet. Though, Xenophon is no longer in public office. He lost his seat, and since gone back to being a solicitor.
It begs the question, if Xenophon's dual-citizenship invalidated his parliamentary held seat of office from day 1, then, does the 2017 IGA Bill hold validity. None of us could contest that, but someone with deep pockets could. Maybe they'd also contest the specific licensing law, which, as we know, there currently are no options for obtaining an AU online casino license.