Australia set for in-play promotion ban
Australian industry body proposes a total ban of promotion of live odds
Australia’s television industry body Free TV Australia (FTA) has proposed a total ban on promotion of all live odds during sports broadcasts, but left the door open for in-game advertising.
FTA proposed an amendment to the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice (the Code) on Monday that would ban commentators and guests from promoting live odds during a game and for 30 minutes before and after. The amendment is open for public comment until 20 May.
The amendment to The Code comes following an attempt to introduce legislation banning all advertising and promotion of live odds in the Australian parliament. But the proposed ban appears to only extend to promotion during the broadcasts and will leave the door open for advertising of in-play offerings.
The amendment is designed to “reduce and control the promotion of live odds during the broadcast of live sporting events”, according to an FTA statement. But it was criticised by online gambling opponenent Senator Nick Xenophon as “half-hearted”.
He told newspaper The Australian there was “nothing in the proposed amendments that would stop gambling operators from appearing during telecasts.” Ralph Topping, CEO of William Hill, warned earlier this year that any drastic action would force punters offshore onto unregulated sites.
Topping told analysts on Friday he believed common sense would prevail in regards to advertising of in-play betting. “Do I think we’ll see some restrictions being imposed? No, I don’t because I think common sense will prevail here,” Topping said in a conference call.
He added he was uncomfortable with the actions of bookmakers such as Tom Waterhouse who promote live odds during broadcasts in Australia. “There’s nothing wrong with advertising before a game or after a game or even at the break, but during the game, I’m a little bit uncomfortable with that; I don’t like it at all,” Topping said.