The Ten Network breached the ban on gambling advertising during live sport, subjecting viewers to 17 different wagering commercials during a Socceroos friendly and an A-League women’s match, the regulator says.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) issued Ten’s streaming service 10 Play with a warning, as it is the network’s first breach, but it will face penalties if it happens again.
Last year, a total ban was proposed by a bipartisan committee inquiry chaired by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, but the government looks set to water down that proposal and respond with a partial ban.
Viewers complained that during the live streams on 14 October 2023 of the A-League Women’s Central Coast Mariners v Newcastle Jets match and a Socceroos friendly match against England they saw multiple ads by multiple companies.
Authority member Carolyn Lidgerwood said Network Ten must do better to ensure its gambling advertising placements comply with legal requirements.
“These rules are in place to minimise potential harm caused by gambling promotional content,” Lidgerwood said.
“Streaming services are expected to have systems in place to provide their ads in line with the law.”
The authority said last year the public was extremely concerned about the level of exposure to gambling advertising in live sporting coverage across all platforms and broadcasters.
An Acma report last year found more than 1m gambling ads aired on free-to-air television and radio in just 12 months, while an estimated $238m was spent on campaigns to lure people into betting.
Ten told Acma the breach was due to an error in a manual coding process.
Last year, Channel Seven was fined $13,320 for “repeated breaches” of the ban after a gambling advertisement was shown at 10.38am on 7plus during a live stream of an NFL American football game on 12 December 2022.
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The crackdown on Seven by Acma came after the network aired 49 betting promotions during its 2020 Olympics coverage, and was warned it would face a financial penalty if it did so again.
Under the current gambling advertising rules, wagering commercials are prohibited during livestreamed sports events between 5am and 8.30pm, including in the five minutes before and after the event; and during live sporting events between 8.30pm and 5am.
However, gambling advertising is permitted to be broadcast between 8.30am and 4pm during any program that is not principally directed at children and is allowed between 8.30pm and 5am.
The parliamentary committee recommended a phased-in ban over three years, which would result in the banning of broadcast ads between 6am and 10pm and a prohibition on all online gambling advertising and sponsorship by the end of the third year.
The peak body for free-to-air commercial broadcasters, Free TV Australia, has rejected calls for further restrictions on gambling advertisements, warning free coverage of sport may be cut as a result. The lobby says the commercial networks earn about $200m a year from gambling ads.
