Greens Senator Richard Di Natale has pre-empted the gambling reform committee and will introduce a bill which seeks to ban all live odds advertising during sports broadcasts and related programs.
Di Natale is on the joint parliamentary gambling reform committee but this bill is separate to the committee and any recommendations or conclusions the committee will present.
The Greens' bill will seek to ban the promotion of live odds during sports broadcasts and sports-related programs. It also includes the banning of promotion of live odds during the ad breaks of those broadcasts.
The bill will heighten pressure on TV broadcasters and gambling companies already facing criticisms from some sectors of the public.
A spokesperson for the senator told AdNews: “There was evidence during the parliamentary committee which were strong enough to draft a bill. We're running out of time in the parliamentary year and we wanted to put the wheels in motion.”
The committee's final report is due 30 June. The current parliament will be dissolved roughly six weeks before the federal election which is set for 14 September.
Di Natale has been one of the more vocal critics of live odds promotion during sport during the public hearings of the committee. Di Natale, independent MP Andrew Wilkie and other colleagues pointed to the danger of 'normalising' gambling behaviour for young children through exposure during sports broadcasts.
Bookie Tom Waterhouse has been the subject of much debate and criticism throughout the committee process due to his relationship with the NRL and Nine Entertainment Co. Waterhouse initially had arrangements with Nine which saw him presented as a pseud-commentator, which the NRL itself conceded 'blurred' the lines between the promotion of betting and commentary.
However, due to public pressure and the upcoming ACMA code regarding the promotion of live odds, Nine scaled back Waterhouse's on-air presence into a “discreet segment” where he is separated from Nine commentators.
The Waterhouse deal has also stirred debate around sponsorship integration with media companies and media buyers blaming each other for 'screwing it up'.
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