SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Australian sports stakeholders are preparing to launch a fightback against the mandate put forward to the Malcolm Turnbull government which sets out to ban gambling advertising during sports broadcasts on all media verticals.
This week Australian pro-sports executives were warned by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield that its restrictive gambling advertising mandate had been put forward to the cabinet for review, with the agency expecting the government to approve provisions into law within the coming days.
ABC Australia reports that a number of pro-sports stakeholders are gearing up to dispute the ban which could damage revenue channels and further devalue sports broadcast rights.
Stating their cases, ARL (Aussie Rules Football) and NRL (Rugby League) have governances have previously argued that they have required betting operators to limit the number of markets and functions to comply with Australia’s gambling code.
The ban of betting advertising will likely hinder the AFL’s AUS $10 million a year sponsorship with CrownBet. The NRL whose clubs have formed a number of betting partnerships at present has a record $60 million commercial tie-in with Sportsbet Australia.
ABC Australia further reports that Cricket Australia will lobby against the mandate.
Further backing of pro-league stakeholders will likely come from national TV broadcasters and media agencies who will have to re-plan advertising schedules and potentially refund contracts.
In order to soothe its relationship with sports broadcast networks who will be impacted by loss of betting advertising revenues, The Australian reports that the government will ‘engage in a trade-off’ by lowering licensing fees.
