South Australia to ban gambling ads

The South Australian government announced Monday that it will ban the advertising of live-odds betting on television and during sporting matches.

SA Premier Jay Weatherill told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that audiences for events include thousands of children and they should not be bombarded with live-odds and sports betting material during matches.

“It is of great concern to me that we will end up with a generation of children who believe gambling is a normal part of watching or even playing sport,” he said.

“We don’t allow children into pokie venues or into the casino, but we haven’t regulated the way the advertising of sports betting has infiltrated our living rooms.”

He said it would be up to betting agencies and broadcasters to work out how to abide by the requirement.

Weatherill said his government would put the issue on the agenda of a future Council of Australian Governments meeting.