Australian live odds ban proposed by parliamentary committee

The widespread promotion of online sports betting odds in Australia is set for review after a parliamentary committee made a series of recommendations to curb its “intrusive” nature.

The Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform said there should be a complete ban of live odds during the broadcast of games, and that a “urgent” review of the amount of betting promotion at sporting venues should be undertaken. The report into Advertising and Promotion of Gambling Services in Sport published yesterday follows a five-month inquiry into the effect of sports betting advertising.

Australian-facing bookmakers currently face very few restrictions as to how they promote their odds, however the subject has been in the spotlight in recent months with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledging in May to enforce a ban on gambling advertising during live sports broadcasts.

The report was aimed at tackling the effects of indirect marketing on children and vulnerable people, the “pervasive nature” of the promotion of sports betting, and the integration of sports betting into sporting commentary. It outlines the needs for a review of the industry’s self-regulation process and that fresh research should be commissioned into the long-term effects of such advertising on children.

The Committee also recommended that further research be undertaken in relation to the effect of mobile phone apps have on problem gambling.

Prime Minister Gillard is reported as saying that she had become “frustrated” by the prevalence of gambling advertising around live sport, prompting her to push for the change. A number of other Australian media and political bodies have previously pledged to ban in-play advertising, with two proposals aired earlier this year.

The Green Party published a draft bill and television industry body Free TV Australia proposed to make changes to the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice.