Australia gov't moves to ban betting ads during live sporting events

According to a report published by the Herald Sun, the restrictions are part of a major media reform package to be announced by the government. Broadcasters of live sports on all platforms cannot show any gambling ads from five minutes before a match starts to five minutes after it ends.

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Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the ban would provide a clear and practical zone for families and children to watch live sports.

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Exemptions for horse racing, harness racing and greyhound racing will remain in place so broadcasters can still show betting odds and gambling ads.

The government has also decided to cut back the list of major sporting events which free-to-air broadcasters get first dibs on, ­removing most soccer World Cup games, Wimbledon tennis and the US Masters golf from it.

In a major pre-Budget announcement, Senator Fifield has also revealed long-awaited changes to media ownership laws to “improve the sustainability of Australia’s free-to-air broadcasting sector.”

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The government will scrap the two out of three rule which meant one person or company could not own a radio station, a TV network and a newspaper in the same market.

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It will also ditch limits on broadcasters owning TV licences which collectively reached more than 75 per cent of the population.

TV and radio networks will save tens of millions of dollars under a plan to abolish annual licence fees, which currently rake in about $130 million for the government every year. Instead, broadcasters will pay more expensive spectrum fees — tipped to raise about $40 million annually — based on the reach of their stations and channels.