By Mark Baber
May 27 – Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (pictured) has announced the broadcasting of live betting odds will be banned from sports coverage, with gambling advertising relegated to designated commercial breaks during quarter and half-times.
Paid promotion of betting odds during games by commentators, who appear to be part of broadcast teams, will also banned.
Gillard, who included anti-poker machine policies in her 2010 platform, but has faced criticism after backing down on them, said: “From the moment that the players step on to the field, from the moment that they leave the field, there will be no live odds.
“This I think is very good news for Australian families.”
The government has called on broadcasters to incorporate the requirements in a new code to be overseen by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). If they fail to do so the government will introduce legislation.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said: “What today’s announcement reflects is that Australians are sick of having gambling, and live odds in particular, rammed down their throats.
“It is not a satisfactory circumstance where kids are looking at newspapers, watching matches, and they’re talking about what’s the odds on the match,” he added.
Furthermore, the government has promised to measure the number of gambling adverts during the allowed period, and if they are considered unreasonable, a total ban on betting commercials will be introduced.
Interestingly, with new elections coming up in September, Gillard’s proposals have met with widespread support amongst Australians, with critics, such as South Australian senator Nick Xenophon, arguing that the measures do not go far enough. Senator Xenophon argued the “best way to fix this problem is not to have gambling advertising during sporting games”. NSW Premier Brian O’Farrell also called for a blanket ban.
Gillard said she had considered a total ban but took into account that broadcasters needed to make revenue.
Free TV Australia CEO Julie Flynn said in a statement that although the proposed restrictions were unprecedented, they had been made in response to community concern, and the government should ensure regulation applied to “all advertising and content distribution platforms, not just television.”
The ACMA estimates that up to 500,000 Australians are at risk of becoming, or are, problem gamblers.
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