The Australian media watchdog, ACMA, recently reminded licensed broadcasters nationwide about complying with regulations on gambling promotions. This follows observations of varying interpretations of existing guidelines among broadcasters.
As a recap, the 2018 rules largely ban gambling advertisements during live sporting events between 5:00 am and 8:30 pm across television, internet, and radio platforms, with looser limitations outside these times.
The ACMA has been actively monitoring the situation, gathering information on gambling commercials during live sports and engaging with digital platforms to gain insights into their procedures. Although a year-long assessment didn’t unearth significant breaches, it did highlight discrepancies in how providers understand the regulations, especially regarding exceptions and documentation practices.
The regulatory body in Australia responsible for communications and media is worried that regulations intended to safeguard smaller viewership groups from a decline in access to sports programming are being manipulated. These regulations, created to guarantee less mainstream sports stay accessible on free television, are being utilized by broadcasting companies to rationalize placing more sought-after content, such as live sporting events, behind paid subscriptions. The ACMA contends that as a greater number of Australians opt for online platforms to watch live sports, the concept of a “limited audience” requires reevaluation. Furthermore, the ACMA is investigating discrepancies in how broadcasters are documenting their reasons for utilizing these exceptions, stressing that any such documentation must adhere to current rules.