Free TV slams proposed ad ban on betting services during live sport
Australia’s commercial TV broadcasters have slammed a move by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to ban all advertising via betting services completely while live sport is in play.
The ALP has proposed a new ban on betting ads in TV
The ALP introduced an amendment to the Interactive Gambling Bill currently being read that called for a blanket ban on the promotion of betting during live sporting events on TV. The bill was introduced last year to place restrictions to online gambling operations.
The ALP has proposed such a ban be phased in as part of the legislation now being debated which will see new restrictions placed on such advertising along with the ability to run live online gambling.
Labor’s amendment said: “whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House calls on the Government to work with the broadcasting industry and national sporting organisations on a transition plan to phase out the promotion of betting odds and commercials relating to betting or gambling before and during live sporting broadcasts, with a view to their prohibition”.
The commercial TV industry body Free TV reacted to the announcement of the amendment almost immediately.
“Introducing new restrictions which single-out free-to-air television – which continues to be the most heavily regulated media platform in Australia – is entirely unnecessary,” Free TV said in a statement.
“In fact, doing so would risk regulatory by-pass and put commercial free-to-air broadcasters at a competitive disadvantage compared to other media platforms, while failing to achieve the policy intent.”
Free TV CEO Brett Saville described the proposed total ban as unwarranted.
“Commercial broadcasters already have the most comprehensive, targeted set of restrictions on the promotion of betting services of any media platform in Australia,” Saville said in a statement.
The statement said strong safeguards were already in place and that the new amendments went too far.
Under the new proposal there would be a ban on the promotion of gambling during play, as well a ban on the promotion of odds by commentators and their guests for 30 minutes before and after play.
Free TV said that current restrictions were already in place to protect the public and children from over zealous advertising.
“These strong protections were endorsed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) which registered the current Code in November 2015, following extensive consultation, to ensure it provided appropriate community safeguards,” the Free TV statement said.
“Complaints about betting are low, and broadcasters have demonstrated very high levels of compliance to the Code over a sustained period. The recently published Australian Gambling Statistics indicate that total sports betting turnover represents less than 4% of total gambling turnover.
TV wake up to yourself.
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“Free TV said that current restrictions were already in place to protect the public and children from over zealous advertising.”
Really? So they got rid of Tom Waterhouses smug face, but it’s still impossible to watch sport with kids and not be bombarded with gambling ads.
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This country ran perfectly well, and better with as little gambling Governments could manage to allow. Horses, trots, greyhounds and Anzac Day. There is major social damage from gambling, that appears in the social welfare bill and damage to individuals and families. I wonder how these people wake up every morning with a clean conscience that what they are doing is “good” , and when gambling even corrupts the sports that they broadcast.
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Use it as an opportunity to explain gambling – and its potential pitfalls – to your kids. They are going to find out about it, so no point hiding it and pretending it doesn’t exist.
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Thish ish ridiculoush….. imagine channel 9’s coverage without Joel Caine?…. and why don’t I shee any adsh on TV for the pokiesh?
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I am all for this anti-gambling promotion campaign – I think it is a menace to society. I pretty much gave up on watching sport and shows like The Footy Show a few years ago.
“…as well a ban on the promotion of odds by commentators and their guests for 30 minutes before and after play”
Imagine watching the weekend horse racing and the Melbourne Cup coverage just for the sheer joy of seeing these wonderful animals being pushed to their limits!
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Surely FreeTV is not so desperate that they have to sell their soul to these leeches.
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Or we can let people have personal autonomy and make their own decisions about what to do with their lives and money. This country is enough of a nanny state as is, without setting further restrictions on what is and what isn’t acceptable advertising during sport.
You ignore hundreds of other types of advertisements every day from brands, I’m not sure why you can’t just ignore these too if they aren’t of interest to you.
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Ask yourself some questions:
1. Would you accept this if it was advertising heroin or ice?
2. Should the need for profit exceed the need for social responsibility?
3. Is this banning gambling or simply quarantining a small part of the media from advertising it when the most susceptible tend to be view?
If you answered Yes to any of them then go and have a long hard look in the mirror.
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@stephen – my son is 9 – him and I just want to watch the rugby together, not have lectures. By your logic I should show him some porn too.
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Of course they do…..don’t give a damn about the kids watching it and being groomed, only care about their bottom line. Alcohol and Cigarettes are band from TV……gambling has got to go as well.
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