The Australian government has announced a major crackdown on gambling advertising during live sporting events as it continues to implement sweeping reforms across the country’s gaming industry.
The new restrictions will see gambling companies banned from advertising their services from five minutes before kick-off of any sporting event broadcast live until either five minutes after full-time or 20:30 – whichever arrives first.
The ban is intended to both protect Australian children from being exposed to extensive gambling advertising and also to curb problem gambling.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said, “Parents around Australia will be delighted when they know that during football matches, cricket matches and live sporting events before 8.30pm, there will be no more gambling ads. “This will be welcomed by Australian children.”
The government has also announced provisions to ease the burden on Australia’s commercial television stations who will lose some revenue as a result of the ban on gambling advertising.
Their annual $130 million broadcasting license fee has been abolished, replaced instead with new annual spectrum fees expected to bring in around AU$40 million.
Despite the new rules, Australian anti-gambling campaigners say they will continue to push for further reform.
“It’s not the end of the story in terms of gambling reform,” Senator Nick Xenophon told AAP. “We need to ban all gambling ads during sports broadcasts, but at least we’ve made some progress.”
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