The government of New South Wales announced that live odds advertising during sports broadcasts will be banned within the state’s borders. The ban will be effective as of March 2016 and comes as local officials’ response to the increasing popularization of online sports betting.
Troy Grant, Deputy Premier and Minister for Gaming and Racing of New South Wales, pointed out that in-play odds will no longer be broadcast in the state from next year on. The official noted that live odds betting ads encourage dangerous gambling behavior as viewers are stimulated to bet on the spur of the moment without giving a second thought to the potential risks.
Mr. Grant further commented that the sports betting market is growing constantly and is becoming more and more competitive. As a proof to this, he pointed to the different promotions launched by gambling operators in an attempt to attract the attention of more customers and win a larger market share. This is why Mr. Grant said that timely regulations need to be introduced within the gambling industry.
Under that latest regulation, ads featuring gambling operators and the services they offer will be banned from being broadcast during sporting matches or breaks or will be required to be adjusted for the New South Wales public.
Commenting on the announcement about the ban, Samantha Thomas, Associate Professor of Public Health at the Deakin University in Victoria, pointed out that it is a positive move but it would limit only a small portion of the whole suite of marketing campaigns and promotions that “go on during sporting matches.”
Ms. Thomas pointed out that viewers, particularly children, would still be exposed to massive advertising initiatives, such as logos of gambling operators on stadiums, jerseys, etc. The scholar further commented that the concept of problematic advertising is much broader than just live odds betting promotions broadcast during sporting events.
According to her, New South Wales officials need to take much more stringent measures in order to prevent the vulnerable members of the state’s population from being exposed to dangerous marketing tactics that could influence their perception of gambling and sports betting in particular.
The government is to introduce a new set of regulations in December once a federal report run by former New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell on online betting is completed. Officials are to extend the scope of the current ban on alluring credits, vouchers, and other offerings provided by gambling operators.
