Australia PM Julia Gillard "formally announced the government's demand that TV and radio networks ban the promotion of live odds and restrict gambling advertisements during sporting matches," according to Bibby & Swan of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Gillard: "From the moment the players step onto the field from the moment they leave the field there will be no live odds." Under Labor’s demands, "all promotion of betting odds on broadcast media would be banned during games." The move came "several weeks after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott flagged a Coalition government would take action against televised betting." Under the new rules, gambling advertisements "would be prohibited during commercial breaks while matches are being played, however they would be allowed during breaks in play such as quarter-time or halftime, and before or after a game." The new rules "also allow crosses to gambling representatives." A spokesperson for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said that the gambling representatives could not spruik odds for games (either the one being broadcast or others) during breaks in play but they were allowed to promote ''generic material'' (SMH, 5/26). In Sydney, Ben Packham wrote Labor MP Stephen Jones, who has pushed for the clampdown on live odds broadcasting, said that he was "broadly supportive of the Prime Minister's plan, which would axe live odds and ban bookies from commentary roles." However, he said that the failure to ban gambling advertisements during G-rated viewing times "remained a serious concern." Jones: "I will be discussing those issues with the Prime Minister and my caucus colleagues over the coming few days." Colleague Steve Georganas said Gillard's plan was “a start,” but it needed to go further (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/27).
GAINING SUPPORT: The BBC reported the National Rugby League, which in the past has allowed bookmakers to give odds during broadcasts, said that it "agreed with the government's plan." NRL CEO Dave Smith said, "The overwhelming sentiment is that we do not want to see betting as the primary focus of our game" (BBC, 5/26). In Sydney, Paul Bibby reported anti-gambling campaigners said that "more needs to be done." Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce Chair, Reverend Tim Costello said, ''The truth is that the government and the opposition have finally sniffed the wind and realized that sports betting is hated by parents and the public. They're the ones who have been the leaders of this campaign" (SMH, 5/27).
ON NOTICE: In Sydney, Coultan, Kelly & Gatt reported the New South Wales government has put sporting codes and TV stations "on notice" that it could take action against the promotion of gambling at sporting venues if they "exploit loopholes in a federal crackdown on spruiking live odds during games." Nine Sport Dir Steve Crawley said that the broadcaster "had not had live odds, pull-throughs or references to live betting during play all year, although they were displayed as players left the dressing rooms, at halftime and post-match." Crawley said that Nine "would comply with the new code after it was finalised," suggesting it was likely that celebrity bookmaker Tom Waterhouse would "continue to appear during game coverage, but from outside the venue." NSW Minister for Sport Graham Annesley and Minister for Racing & Major Events George Souris said that the government "would closely watch the promotion of gambling in the next few months," including at State of Origin matches, the Lions rugby union tour and an exhibition match by ManU (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/28). The AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW's Matthew Dunckley reported Free TV CEO Julie Flynn said the industry still believed regulation in the area should apply consistently to "all advertising and content distribution platforms, not just television." The pay-TV sector "will follow suit and implement the new rules," which, it said, went further than an agreement reached last year by the Council of Australian Governments (AFR, 5/27).
CUTTING FUNDING: In Sydney, Heath Aston opined Labor has cut more than A$250M from the cost of doing business for TV networks since '10, but Communications Minister Stephen Conroy insists that the industry "can’t afford to forgo the advertising dollar of betting companies" -- estimated at A$40M ($38.5M) a year. Conroy said on Monday that life had become ‘‘harder and harder’’ for the commercial free-to-air stations despite the government’s decision to halve the license fees for them and award two free digital channels each. Conroy’s new position "drew immediate criticism" from anti-gambling campaigners, and "stoked concern" on the Labor backbench over gambling’s grip on televised sport and the community feeling against it (THE AGE, 5/28).
