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Government announces new gambling ban during sport

Govt rules, no odds & no ads during live match play and no gambling commentators on or near the ground.

2013-05-26_1329The Federal Government has announced a ban on gambling odds during Live sport matches, including banning ads during play and gambling identities being at or near the sports venue.

In a joint statement, Prime Minister Gillard and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy  stated the public have had enough of odds and betting promotions being shoved down their throats during sport, and younger Australians should be talking about which is the best team, not which has the shortest odds to win.

It has also threatened a complete gambling ad ban on broadcasters if the industry does not comply.

Under the new rules:

  • All promotion of betting odds on broadcast media will be prohibited during live sports matches. This includes by gambling companies and commentators.
  • All generic gambling broadcast advertisements will be banned during play. Advertisements of this sort would only be allowed before or after a game; or during a scheduled break in play, such as quarter-time and half-time.
  • Banner adverts, sponsorship logos, and other broadcast promotions must not appear during play.
  • When crossed to, representatives of gambling companies must not be at or around the venue. They also must not appear with the commentary team at any time and must be clearly identified as a gambling representative.
  • The Government will monitor the intensity of generic gambling advertisements within the allowed periods. If it is found to go beyond reasonable levels, the Government will impose a total advertising ban.

The Government expects that the broadcasting industry will submit a revised code to the Australian Communications and Media Authority as soon as possible and for ACMA to hasten their implementation.

Should the industry elect not to do this, the Government will fast-track legislation in this term of Parliament.

Updated: Free TV, which represents Seven, Nine and TEN has indicated it will revise its live odds code.

CEO Julie Flynn said, “These are unprecedented restrictions for broadcasters but weaccept the Government has acted in response to community concern.

“We recognise that these are difficult issues and will submit a revised code within the next two weeks in line with the Prime Minister’s announcement.

“The industry continues to hold the view that regulation in this area should apply consistently to all advertising and content distribution platforms, not just television.”

17 Responses

  1. David, any 5 minute delayed broadcast would require a renogiated contract wouldn’t it? I couldn’t see it ever happening with Fox sport coverage. Ultimately any attempt by networks to exploit loopholes will be blocked because the public is fed up with the saturation of such ads

  2. “…we accept the Government has acted in response to community concern” because Free TV Australia clearly weren’t doing so.

    @JB – I agree with your side note but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

    @DK – pls don’t give the networks bad ideas.

  3. I bet networks now have to pay more for live sport themselves as I guess the gambling ads would of cost quite a bit to show…

  4. @ David Knox

    Careful David cynicism can be as highly contagious and addictive as gambling is known to be, and possibly even subliminally enhanced when portrayed within a “mauve” coloured background.

    Fortunately this should explain my cynicism, when I agree with your comment, especially when vested interests have the most to gain in regards to gambling revenues, and sadly this also includes many state and territory governments that are equally addicted to the tax rake off, associated with the ease of access that encourages problem gambling.

    And ask if the sudden discovery that poker machines attract problem gamblers to many clubs and casino’s etc. resulting in their highly advertised claims, using the same spin doctors that are behind the explosion of the sports betting intrusions, but seemingly aimed at only having a token impact on poker machine revenues

  5. Hooray. I admit i was becoming sick of Jaime Rogers but she was only really seen during ads, and while there were plenty of betting ads it didn’t appear to be complete saturation…And then along came Tom Waterhouse. I tried watching an NRL game too, and had to switch off straight away.

    I’d love to know how his business is doing when his ads claim he knows nothing about sport, but also that he “knows what punters want” when what they want is him to go away.

    Side note: If the govt can bring in this legislation because of failure in self-regulation, can they do something about late start times which is essentially false advertising and misleading information?

  6. all that will happen is Tom and his friends will have lots of billboards on the ground. or will they have to be blacked out during coverage? Then there is Centerbet Stadium…

  7. Marvellous news.
    I have not watched one NRL gane this year entirely due to over-the-top gambling advertising. Not because I was making a one-man protest but simply because it spoils the game (imho).

    But now watch as the right-wing types spoil a feel-good moment by whining about how the government has cunningly done something the Coalition was going to do once it won power. (Yeah, sure they were!!)

  8. @ David.

    I think you’ve missed a word:
    “It has also threatened a complete gambling ad [BAN] on broadcasters if the industry does not comply.”

    In any event, this decisions has not gone far enough. The FTA mouthpiece will agree to anything at the moment for fear of legislation banning all gambling advertising… which would not be a bad thing imo.

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