Australian Sports Body: Current Gambling Ads Regime Is Balanced

A parliamentary inquiry on the need for further advertising and broadcast restrictions in Australia was told by the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (Compps) that the current regime, complemented by action in individual sporting codes, is sufficient.

Existing Arrangements Strike the Right Balance

The group representing major Australian sports, including the Australian Football League (AFL), National Rugby League (NRL), Tennis Australia, Rugby Australia, Football Australia, and Netball Australia, told the MPs that the existing arrangements provide for a balance between the public and business needs, reported The Guardian.

According to Commps’ executive director of policy, Jo Setright, current advertising arrangements strike the right balance between the interest of the public to watch sport “without excessive reference to gambling and live odds or undue exposure of viewers including children to gambling promotion,” with the operators’ right “to advertise their products in a socially responsible manner.”

Further, Setright was adamant in his submission to the inquiry that any new measures which will impact the advertising revenue of broadcasters may negatively impact the “value of sports’ media rights” which are considered by Commps’ members to be important sources of funding for grassroots and game development, as well as other programs.

Sports Clubs and Athletes Think Otherwise

Chaired by Labor MP Peta Murphy, the inquiry remained confused, as the Commps’ statement did not align with what was expressed recently by several clubs and athletes who had raised concerns that the amount of gambling advertising creates a culture in which betting on sport is seen as part of the sport.

“That does not gel well with the clear community sentiment and it does not gel well with some of the evidence we are receiving from experts about increasing gambling and increasing gambling harm,” commented Murphy, stating that the committee is determined to hear the arguments of these clubs and people.

Recently, two clubs from the NRL voluntarily decided to ban betting promotions on their ground’s signage and big screens, as well as remove gambling sponsorship from all club apparel, while a player also raised concerns that young fans of AFL are exposed to excessive gambling advertising.

Further, Setright’s argument about responsible gambling did not bode well with the recently announced plans by the federal government to require gambling advertisers to replace the “gamble responsibly” tagline with another which warns the audiences that they may well lose their money while gambling.

The Commps’ submission also addressed the critical nature of revenue generated by wagering partnerships for governing bodies in terms of funding for their integrity units and other operational priorities, insisting that if any new changes are implemented, measures should be taken to ensure this funding continues.