The Australian government has demanded all broadcasters amend their codes “as soon as possible” to stop all gambling advertising during live sports broadcasts.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said in a joint statement that if the broadcast industry elected not to submit revised codes to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the government would fast-track legislation to achieve this during the current term of Parliament.
“The public have had enough of odds and betting promotions being shoved down their throats while listening to and watching sport”, said Gillard and Conroy, who added the measures would ensure the watching of sport and the promotion of gambling were kept separate.
The government is insisting on the prohibition of all betting odds during live TV sports broadcasts, including by commentators. All generic ads for gambling companies will also be banned during play, as will be banner ads, sponsor logos and other broadcast promotion. Broadcasters will also only be able to cross to representatives of gambling companies if they are clearly introduced as such and are not appearing at venues or with the commentary team.
The Australian government said it would also “monitor the intensity” of gambling ads during the permitted periods, which will include breaks in play such as quarter- and half-times, and that it would impose a total ban “if found to go beyond reasonable levels.”
Gillard responded to the calls of anti-gambling campaigners such as Senator Nick Xenophon for a blanket ban on all gambling ads during live broadcasts, informing the media in a press conference that she believed the proposed changes struck the correct balance between “protecting the community” and maintaining the revenue stream for broadcast rights for Australia’s sporting codes, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Bookie Tom Waterhouse’s frequent appearances on Channel Nine’s rugby league broadcasts to promote his company’s live odds are widely understood to have spurred Gillard’s government to act.
The level of competition in Australia’s online market has been ratcheted up in recent years by the entry of European operators such as Paddy Power, bet365 and Unibet. The UK’s largest bookmaker William Hill also recently acquired the Australian division of Sportingbet for a£459m.
The Australian government in March rejected the recommendation of the Department of Broadband, Communcations and the Digital Economy to amend the country’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to trial the regulation of online tournament poker and in-play wagering. Comms minister Conroy said Australia first needed to agree “[a] nationally consistent approach to harm minimisation and consumer protection”.
Article written by Peter Holmes
