ACMA warns Australian sports streaming service for showing gambling ads
ACMA’s rules state that gambling ads must not be streamed in the five minutes before a match starts.
Australia.- The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a warning to the sports streaming service Kayo for showing gambling ads outside of the permitted hours. The regulator found the company had contravened rules by showing gambling ads during the May 2022 Fremantle V Collingwood AFL match.
Gambling ads are not allowed to be streamed during live sports events between 5am and 8.30pm, or in the five minutes before and after the event. However, an investigation found that gambling promotions were streamed on the Kayo service within five minutes before play commenced and during scheduled breaks.
Nerida O’Loughlin, ACMA chair, said: “Streaming services need to comply with the rules in the same way traditional television broadcasters do. Gambling advertising during live sport is a major concern for Australians. Families want to watch live sport without needing to worry that children may come to think of gambling as a part of the game.”
In response to the ACMA’s investigation, Kayo implemented live production testing and technical enhancements to its software and processes for scheduling advertising. Additionally, Kayo’s senior management will review and approve any future system changes that may affect the streaming platform’s compliance.
ACMA recently ordered internet service providers to block access to four more offshore gaming websites. The websites are Firefox Casino, Shazam Casino, Rich Prize and Heaps O Wins. There are now 723 websites on the regulator’s blocking list. ACMA made its first blocking request in November 2019.
