The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that streaming service 10 Play, operated by Network Ten, breached gambling advertising rules by airing gambling ads outside permitted hours during two live-streamed sports events.
The industry watchdog‘s investigation followed complaints from a viewer about two specific live streams on 14 October 2023: the A-League Women’s Central Coast Mariners vs. Newcastle Jets match and a Socceroos friendly match against England.
Under current regulations, gambling ads are not allowed during live sports events between 5am and 8:30pm, including in the five minutes before and after the event. The international match was streamed early in the morning, while the Women’s A-League match was in the afternoon, both falling within the restricted period.
“These rules are in place to minimise potential harm caused by gambling promotional content,” said ACMA authority member, Carolyn Lidgerwood.
“Streaming services are expected to have systems in place to provide their ads in line with the law.”
Following its findings, the ACMA issued a formal warning to Network Ten for the breach.
Lidgerwood noted this was the first time Ten had violated the rules around gambling advertising in live sports and that the company had cooperated throughout the investigation.
Network Ten attributed the breach to an error in a manual coding process and has since upgraded its processes to include more automation in the scheduling of gambling advertisements.
The ACMA has indicated it may take further enforcement action if there are any future breaches of gambling advertising rules by Ten.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar finding against Kayo, the sports streaming service provided by Foxtel’s Hubbl, which was also found to have breached gambling advertising rules during live sports events outside of permitted times.
The ACMA’s investigation into Hubbl was prompted by complaints about sporting events streamed on Kayo in June.
These actions come down amid a broader push for stricter gambling advertising regulations in Australia.
Recently, Tabcorp became the first wagering company to support a proposed gambling ad ban as the government considers finalising its proposal.
In its submission to a parliamentary review, Tabcorp suggested betting ads should only be shown in places where “people go to gamble, including pubs, clubs, or racetracks or on exclusive platforms dedicated to gambling events such as Sky Racing TV and radio.”
The submission suggested over half of Australians believe there is too much gambling advertising.
See also: Betting giant Tabcorp backs proposed gambling ad ban