Australia’s gambling ads ban should be fast-tracked, crossbenchers say
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/28/australia-gambling-ads-ban-should-be-fast-tracked-crossbenchers-say?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Greens and independents want timeframe shortened while TV and wagering industries call for proposal to be watered down
What are your thoughts on this? Seems to me a long overdue discussion for the government to have. The ads are out of control.
It's a well reported fact that Australia is one of the most gambling-ridden countries on the planet, and the sheer prevalence of gambling advertising is clearly a massive contributor to this. If it were up to me, online sports gambling would be banned outright. You could still go to the trots and bet on a horse over the counter if you really wanted, but the real trouble is that there's nothing stopping you from being brainwashed by SportsBet relentlessly at every ad break, downloading their app, and blowing your life savings without lifting a finger. If you actually had to get off your backside and go somewhere to bet, I doubt the problem would be nearly as widespread as it is today.
But then you look at all the oldies soiling themselves in front of the pokies machines and wonder if it really would make any difference.
I’ve thought about the practicality of banning it online but think it would only really work for Australian based companies.
The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 already bans online gambling AFAIK, but does not regulate offshore companies, or "licenced services". I don't see why it couldn't be updated to remove such exceptions - and you can't tell me that BlueBet and SportsBet and all the rest of those don't have ABNs. The problem companies aren't the offshore ones.
My thought was that they can ban them from operating in Australia but it’s a bit harder to ban Australians from using them while they’re operating elsewhere.
We absolutely should ban it all ASAP, but if banning all gambling advertising is too big a step for the Government right now, could we please at least ban the type of ad where one of the sports commentators says "now a word on the odds from <gambling company>", pretending it's part of the actual broadcast? Those are so insidious.
Agree and I want to extend that to banning advertising gambling adjacent shit like gacha games and lootboxes.
Removing this form of revenue feom commercial sports will destroy the commercial sport industry.
I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but all those profiteers will need a source of income other than young people’s dreams and injuries.
That’s the same sort of thing that was said when smoking bans were introduced.
Sports will adapt. They’ll find other industries to sponsor them. There might be a period of uncertainty, but life will go on.
Edit: besides, I was particularly concentrating on the especially insidious type of gambling ad where they pretend it’s a natural part of the broadcast. There’s absolutely no justification for that kind of deceptive practice.
Gambling is more than an entertainment expense. Very few people become addicted to going to the movies or a sporting event. So since gambling causes outsized harm, advertising it should be regulated proportional to the harm it causes.
Take the moral argument out of it. Figure out the harm and limit advertising accordingly.
Here's another reason to ban them:
They're shit ads.
There's nothing witty or entertaining or in anyway good about having to sit through a fuckin' gambling ad. Oh, look, it's three NIDA drop-outs with North Shore accents doing the best (ie, shithouse) attempt at some dinky-di fair-go-cobber accents and lingo that some MBA from the Eastern suburbs advertising agency is Authentic Tradie Ockerese, because that's who they're targeting.
Official betting partners should absolutely be banned! Advertising IN the sport broadcast itself is morally bankrupt as fuck.
I feel like gambling can be allowed to continue advertising but it needs to be advertised similarly to plain packaged cigarettes, where all they can offer is white text on black background with a link to the website for those who choose to partake. Take away the glamour and allure of ‘winning big’ and ‘bet with your mates’. Yes there are whole industries that might not be able to exist if gambling declines (horse & dog racing etc.) but this is probably a positive outcome.
Maybe they can have pictures like the ciggies. Like a losing dog/horse at a track or a foreclosed home, maybe someone getting their fingers broken.
I dunno. I think I prefer sportsbet ads to what will likely replace them - endless funeral insurance ads.
Thank deity for npvr and comskip.exe.
I would bet my left nut sack that no ban would take place for the next decade at least. Too many cunts are getting paid to keep it alive and thriving.