Australia: US$151.8m spent on gambling ads in 12 months

A report published by the ACMA says more than a million gambling ads aired on free-to-air television and radio.

Australia.- A report published by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that over one million gambling advertisements aired on Australian free-to-air television and radio in the span of a year, with an estimated expenditure of AU$238m (US$151.8m). 

The report covers from May 2022 to April 2023 and was undertaken in collaboration with Nielsen, an audience analytics company. The analysis included gambling advertisements across free-to-air radio, television and online platforms. It did not include ads broadcast on pay TV or subscription streaming services, so the full number of wagering ads will be higher.

The report found that five online wagering companies were responsible for nearly half a million gambling ads during the period. They were not named. There was an average of 1,381 gambling spots aired daily on free-to-air television in capital cities. Regional TV markets had a slightly lower average of 928 ads per day. The concentration of TV gambling ads peaked between 9pm and 10pm, coinciding with the relaxation of advertising restrictions and representing nearly a quarter of all gambling ads.

The peak hours on metro radio correlated with morning and evening commuting times, with 27,200 ads aired between 6am and 8am and 16,300 between 5pm and 6pm. Approximately 66 per cent of all gambling ads on radio and television targeted metro markets. The estimated allocation of advertising spend was AU$162m on free-to-air television, AU$34.6m on social media, AU$22.4m on metro radio markets, and AU$19.5m on other online platforms.

The report comes as the federal government considers a proposal by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs for a ban on all online gambling ads within three years