Prime Minister hints at ban on gamblings ads during sporting events
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hinted on a possible ban on betting advertisements during sporting events across the country. He said this in an interview with Guardian Australia following opposition leader Peter Dutton’s proposal to ban such ads.
During the interview, Albanese expressed his frustration with the overwhelming presence of betting ads during sports broadcasts that are supposed to be “family time”. He however stopped short of directly commenting on the potential ban, citing an ongoing review process.
In his recent budget reply speech, Peter Dutton echoed the calls for a ban on sports betting advertising during broadcasts, as well as for an hour before and after each game. He joined the Greens and independent voices in expressing concern over the saturation of gambling ads, suggesting they not only detract from the enjoyment of televised sports but also contribute to the normalization of gambling among young people.
Albanese found Dutton’s support for the ban surprising, given the Coalition government’s lack of action on similar issues during its previous nine-year term. In contrast, he highlighted the proactive steps taken by his own government, including initiating a review, strengthening advertising guidelines, implementing mandatory harm minimization messages, prohibiting the use of credit cards for online betting, and addressing gambling-like activities in video games.
The potential enactment of an advertising ban would undoubtedly face strong resistance from the gaming sector. Free TV, the representative body for commercial television, has already expressed objections, fearing substantial revenue losses for broadcasters if such a ban were implemented.
Despite the criticism, Albanese’s indication of personal annoyance aligns with the ongoing discussions in the post-budget period.
