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SBS urged to drop gambling ads

Calls to remove gambling ads during sport aren't just confined to commercial broadcasters.

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SBS is being urged to drop gambling ads as part of a wider push by independent politicians for networks to dump betting agency ads during Sport.

Viewers watching the recent UEFA Cup competition would have seen Sportsbet ads on SBS at 5:30pm on Sundays and 6:30pm on weekdays.

Social justice campaigner Tim Costello recently told Fairfax, such advertising was a “fatal compromise” for the network.

“I think this is a cheapening of the brand of SBS and a breach of faith with their viewers. I challenge SBS to do one very simple thing: ask their viewers who are loyal to them if they want sports betting advertisements and I know what the answer would be,” he said.

Lobby group Save Our SBS says while the broadcaster has run both gambling and ‘anti’ gambling spots, advertisements are not exempt from complying with SBS Charter requirements.

“Nothing in the content of the betting advertisements satisfies that necessitated under SBS’s Charter. On this point alone, SBS ought to abandon such advertisements,” it said in a statement.

“It is well known that the lives of many have been damaged due to gambling. That a public broadcaster should go down the path of promoting such is disgraceful.

“As a public broadcaster SBS should be leading the way by example rather than behaving in a predatory manner towards problem gamblers.”

The lobby group says the SBS Act requires the Board develop guidelines on the kinds of advertisements it broadcasts. But there are suggestions the Board no longer involves itself in operational matters.

“In our view, the Board ought to now review its position on the broadcasting of betting and gambling advertisements. If it has a moral conscience, it will ban all future such ads from SBS.”

Tabcorp chief executive David Attenborough has also told the Australian Financial Review, “We have said consistently there is too much gambling advertising.”

Updated: An SBS spokesperson said, “SBS is a uniquely hybrid-funded broadcaster governed by legislation that allows not more than five minutes in any hour of broadcasting on its television and radio services. It has strict codes and guidelines around advertising for sporting events, which all comply with industry practices and regulations.”

Photo: UEFA / Adidas

8 Responses

  1. The average punter (intended) watching the UEFA Cup couldn’t care less about betting adverts.

    SBS could push the envelope and take all manner of unsavory advertising unless the government provided funding in compensation. That won’t be happening.

    >> But there are suggestions the Board no longer involves itself in operational matters.

    And nor should they. Any board, of any organisation, should be setting policy and strategy, and then getting out of the way of the staff.

    1. Rubbish-they’re managing a public good-the despicable curse of gambling ads can best be compared with smoking ads-remember those?-not any bloody more!

      1. public good? says who?

        so if you have a problem with gambling then thats your fault – quit blaming everyone else and expecting everyone else to “censor” around you because you can’t deal with society.

        more gambling ads please love them.
        does it make me want to gamble? No

        If it did – I would have a problem – and wouldn’t expect TV to drop advertising because of my own addiction …

        but wait…. it’s everyone elses fault but mine – right?

        1. A public good-ie a product held in trust for the public. You do realise that the bloated, immoral gambling industry does nothing out of the goodness of it’s ‘heart’-there was a time when sport was local and for the people-now it’s just about the cash and winning at all cost (if not throwing it for cash).

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