Australian Capital Territory may ban sports gambling ads

Attorney general Shane Rattenbury has confirmed he is exploring options to restrict gambling advertising.

Australia.- The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government is proposing restrictions and possibly a complete ban on sports betting advertisements due to concerns about their negative impact. The state’s attorney general, Shane Rattenbury, has confirmed he is exploring options to restrict gambling advertising if the federal government fails to do so.

Rattenbury he was “exploring implementing a regime similar to South Australia’s restrictions on gambling advertising on TV, to see if we can replicate it, or go further.”

The South Australian restrictions, which were introduced in 2013, are stricter than federal rules. They ban all gambling advertising between 4pm and 7.30pm, regardless of the programme. However, Rattenbury believes any clampdown should cover television and radio to ensure ad spending does not shift from one medium to the other. 

Crossbench MPs, Monique Ryan and Rebekha Sharkie have joined the list of ACT politicians calling for federal government intervention to reduce harm. In February, senator David Pocock called for major reforms in the regulation of gambling ads after meeting with representatives from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, the Alliance for Gambling Reform and the Obesity Policy Coalition.

Meanwhile, an AFL Fan Association survey has found that 79 per cent of fans believed gambling ads should be banned from AFL grounds while 76 per cent agreed that gambling ads should be banned from broadcasting (including TV and radio). Meanwhile, 67 per cent of respondents said AFL Clubs should not receive money from pokies or gambling advertising and 65 per cent said gambling on AFL matches should not be allowed at grounds.