Australia tough stance on in-venue betting ads

Article posted by Coliseum, November 18^th, 2024

Image: ANZ Stadium, Gavin Anderson, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Federal Government (Australia) has told anti-gambling groups it wants a ban on in-stadium electronic sideline advertisements common during the Australian Football League (AFL) and the National Rugby League (NRL) games in an effort to mollify the Labor backbenchers pressing for a more comprehensive halt to betting promotions.

‘abc.net.au’ stated that though still falling well short of a total ban on gambling advertising, the move would end what campaigner Tim Costello (an Australian Baptist Minister) called the “particularly offensive” high-profile digital messaging from the online sports betting companies.

Melbourne (Australia)-based the Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional competition of Australian Rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition from the Victorian Football Association with its inaugural season in 1897.

The Australian Rules football, also called Australian football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground.

Sydney (Australia)-based the National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

‘abc.net.au’ further stated that the Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland is also mulling an option that would force the sporting codes to remove the logos of the betting companies from their jerseys and their uniforms.

It is understood that both measures would require agreement from the State and the territory Governments.

The long-awaited gambling reforms have put the Federal Government on a collision course between the well-heeled gambling companies, the cash-strapped free-to-air sports broadcasters and the members of the Labor backbench and even some Coalition MPs who want a full ad ban.

One Labor backbencher said of the Government’s plans, “They’re being very cagey about it.”

Costello, Chief Advocate of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, said he believed the Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese was the main reason the Government was not adopting the full recommendations of a Parliamentary inquiry headed by the Late Peta Murphy (Australian politician).

Rowland “is now trying for signage and jersey bans. She understands the risk of grooming children. I do think Michelle has been really trying to implement the full Murphy report. I suspect the problem is not her, but coming from higher up.”

Costello said the proposed ban on in-stadium electronic advertising and on jerseys was “really necessary” but insufficient.

Concluded Costello, “If you want to protect children you have to have a total ban. Every ad influences them to become a gambler.”

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