Australian Government Will Reject Blanket Ban on TV Gambling Ads

According to reports in local media, the Australian Labor Government is set to reject an outright ban on gambling advertising on TV.

The proposed ban would have put a ban on all forms of gambling ads on television, radio, newspapers and online within three years. This followed a parliamentary inquiry, chaired by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.

It has been suggested that the ban, which was publicly supported by Peta Murphy prior to her death, should be named ‘Murphy’s Law’ to honor the late MP’s legacy.

“I myself have met with people like Tim Costello about these issues, and we’re working through them to make sure that any action doesn’t have unintended consequences because that’s what good governments do.”

Ban’s Opposition

Unsurprisingly, the ban has been opposed by gambling operators and media companies. But there has also been widespread opposition to the blanket ban from several sporting codes as clubs and associations rely heavily on revenues from betting ads.

Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys and AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon have spearheaded a vigorous behind-the-scenes lobbying effort against a gambling ban, cautioning that grassroots sports will be adversely affected if tens of millions of dollars in gambling revenue are lost.

According to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, over 1 million gambling ads were broadcast on free-to-air TV, radio, and online in the 12 months leading up to April 2023, costing $238 million.

The latest Australian gambling statistics show that Australians lead the world in per capita spending on legal gambling, losing $25 billion every year.

Natasha Lyndon

Based in London, Natasha is a former sports journalist with experience working for some of the biggest athletes & brands in the world of sports and iGaming.