Sky News Host Debates Australia’s Proposed Gambling Ad Crackdown

Caleb Bond, host of Sky News, challenges the notion that sports betting is the “big evil” in light of Australia’s upcoming prohibition on sports betting commercials. Although ad limitations enjoy bipartisan support, Bond argues that Australians have more sophisticated gambling habits than just sports betting and supports a more nuanced approach.

Proposals to outlaw all online gambling marketing in sports by the Parliamentary Standing Committee have gained momentum and drawn criticism from opposition leaders and the prime minister alike. Bond estimates that sponsorship revenue to NRL teams will drop by millions of dollars.

Citing data from the Australian gaming Research Centre, Bond argues that since poker machines account for more than half of all gaming expenditures, they represent a greater danger. Poker machines, however, are not subjected to the same scrutiny as sports betting.

Bond implies a wider conversation about Australian gambling culture when he asks why sports organizations’ connections to poker machines aren’t looked into.

Original Story by: Gambling News