The Australian state of Victoria could introduce a primetime ban on gambling advertisements, similar to what is currently implemented in South Australia. The measure is among the key recommendations of the state’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) which recently concluded its review of three Auditor-General reports on the regulation of gambling and liquor in Victoria.
Primetime Ban Needed Amid Proliferation of Gambling Ads in Victoria
Under PAEC’s proposal, gambling adverts will be banned on television from 4 pm to 7:30 pm, adopting an existing policy in South Australia. The Committee made the recommendation after a 2021 study by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that over 900 gambling ads were broadcast daily on free-to-air TV in Victoria, with 148 broadcast between 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm every weeknight.
PAEC also highlighted the rapid increase in the number of gambling ads aired on free-to-air TV and radio across the country, which reached over one million in a span of a year (May 2022 – April 2023). The majority of those ads were from online wagering companies, PAEC revealed.
PAEC has also called on the Victorian government to reduce the number of electronic gaming machines throughout the state and review existing gambling loss limits. The Committee issued a total of 61 recommendations aimed at protecting vulnerable groups, especially children and young people.