Pressure Builds for Ban on  Gambling Ads During Sporting Matches

The Leader of the Opposition has proposed betting advertising be restricted but Prime Minister says review into the issue is under way

AUSTRALIA (May 15, 2023) — The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has declared he finds the barrage of betting advertisements during sporting matches “annoying” after opposition leader Peter Dutton proposed a ban because “footy time is family time”.

In an interview with Guardian Australian, the prime minister said he would not directly comment on any plans to ban this advertising, saying there was a review under way.

But asked whether all regulatory roads now led to a ban on gambling advertisements during sporting matches given rising community concern about the ubiquity of wagering messages, the Prime Minister said: “I don’t want to pre-empt the review which is under way.”

“But on a personal level, I find them annoying,” he said.

Mr. Dutton used his budget reply speech last week to float a ban on sports betting advertising during broadcasts and for an hour each side of a sporting game.

Joining calls for action from the Greens and independents, Mr. Dutton told parliament last Thursday the “bombardment” of gaming advertisements took the “joy” out of televised sports. “Worse, they are changing the culture of our country in a bad way and normalising gambling at a young age,” the Liberal leader said.

The prime minister noted the government had pursued new mandatory harm-minimisation messages on advertisements, banned the use of credit cards for online wagering and restricted gambling-like activity in video games.

Any advertising ban ultimately enacted by the parliament would face a significant backlash from the gaming sector. The peak body for commercial television has already expressed objections, with industry estimates suggesting broadcasters could lose hundreds of millions in advertising revenue.

Calls to ban wagering ads during sporting broadcasts have been slammed by the peak body for commercial TV. Free TV has said the sector was already taking action.

SOURCE: Guardian Australian.