The ACMA has been checking if broadcasters are following the new gambling advertising restrictions.
The new rules
The new rules for gambling ads cover live sports broadcast or streamed between 5am and 8:30pm. They ban gambling ads during play, in breaks and five minutes either side of the event.
What we monitored
To find out if the new rules have been working, we looked at:
- where advertisers put their gambling ads, both before and after the new rules started
- complaints and investigations about gambling ads
- live sports coverage to see if providers were following the rules
- parents’ views on gambling ads
The findings
We found:
- That broadcasters are following the rules. There was only one breach of online rules. We will keep checking how the new online rules are working for another 12 months but won’t do a formal review.
- With live sports events shown from 5am to 8.30pm, there was a large drop in gambling ads from the start of pre-game shows to the end of post-game shows.
- Parents are worried about their children seeing gambling ads. This is more so with parents of older children.
- A rise in gambling ads on commercial TV and radio in non-sport shows, and in sport shown after 8:30pm.
Take a look at the Gambling advertising research report.