Ministerial Statement

GAMBLING ADVERTISING

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:06): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: There can be no doubt that South Australian families have become increasingly frustrated about the penetration of gambling advertising into sporting coverage. They are worried their children are now viewing their favourite sports not through the prism of what is happening on the field but through the prism of the associated gambling.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the promotion of live odds and sports betting advertising, making it almost impossible to watch a game of footy without being confronted by live odds and betting being portrayed as an integral part of the contest. The number of betting ads on free-to-air TV has quadrupled in the last two years. In 2012, there were 528 individual ads collectively broadcast more than 20,000 times. Discussion of gambling now appears to be part of the normal discourse during sports broadcasts.

The proposal put forward by Free TV and the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association was guided by self-interest and did not meet community expectations. While the industry's proposed changes would have stopped commentators and their guests promoting live odds, it would have still allowed sponsored segments to promote the odds whenever the game was not in play, such as during scheduled breaks or suspension of play. It would still have allowed promotion of live odds at the ground. This proposal was supported by the federal Coalition, with Tony Abbott saying on 5 May, 'If the industry is to act on these proposals, the Coalition will be satisfied.'

The state government will not be willing to sit back and allow live odds advertising to become an integral part of Australian sport and nor will the Independent Gambling Authority. A report tabled on 15 May recommended the banning of live odds promotions during sports broadcasts and at sportsgrounds. It proposed to do this by amending the codes of practice which govern the codes of gambling providers in this state.

I have asked the IGA to accelerate the implementation of the ban. A week ago, the IGA provided gambling providers with a copy of the draft notice which will ban live odds promotions during sports broadcasts and at sportsgrounds with effect from 1 August 2013. Gambling providers have been given 28 days to make representations before the notice is gazetted. Free TV and ASTRA have also been provided with the notice.

The nation-leading initiative is good news for South Australian families. Parents who want to sit with their children to enjoy their favourite live sport will be able to watch the game without seeing any live odds promotion during the game, during scheduled breaks and at sporting grounds.

We welcome similar moves now being promoted nationally by the commonwealth Labor government. It would obviously be beneficial if the national ban were consistent with ours, but we are here to represent the rights of South Australians and so we will implement the codes of practice we have foreshadowed.