Gambling Advertising in Australia: Why Operators Favor Television and Radio
The Australian betting market may undergo major changes in the coming years, especially in the advertising segment. More specifically, the main question being discussed is whether gambling operator ads are healthy for the general population.
The Aussie gambling scene is buzzing, and the ad game is at the heart of it all. Let’s break it down.
Dominance in Free Broadcast Media
Experts in gambling advertising in the Australian market were surprised by the dominance of bookmakers in ads in free broadcast and radio advertising.
Over the last year, more than a million ads popped up on free broadcasts and radio. And guess what? The big bookmakers were the stars of the show, stealing half the spotlight.
In general, the data also highlights a crucial aspect: 70% of adults watch Free-To-Air (FTA) TV at least once a week. This shows that investments in the sports betting and casino industry really make sense, considering that they precisely want to reach an adult audience. In fact, FTA TV absorbs a whopping 68% of the total advertising expenditure in this industry.
Radio Advertising: A Closer Look
According to research carried out by Nielsen between May 2022 and April 2023, around US$238 million circulated in gambling industry advertising. Out of this amount, US$22.4 million was allocated to radio advertising, focusing on metropolitan regions.
Even more specifically, the segment’s advertising campaigns are usually linked the commuting hours, between 6 am – 8 am or between 5 pm – 6 pm. In total, 27.2 thousand advertisements were broadcast in this time frame.
The Big Talk: Is It Too Much?
Such analyses have raised many concerns on the part of groups researching gambling addiction problems. Furthermore, there is a whole debate about the competition between gambling operators and other companies. Would this segment be suffocating or impeding other companies?
But hey, it’s not all gloom. These ads are the lifeline for many media channels, helping them maintain their programming even in an era increasingly centred towards online media.
However, the ad scene is a bit of a monopoly playground. Just five betting platforms are behind almost 500 thousand ads.
Australian Lawmakers Throwing a Curveball
With these impressive numbers, some groups are concerned about the impact it could have on the health of the population. As a solution, specialist organisations propose a ban on advertising specifically for the betting market.
It’s a sticky wicket, though. First, the broadcasters themselves may face a revenue chasm with the ban, which could jeopardise, for example, free sports event broadcasts.
Another important point is that, without advertising, licensed betting platforms will not receive as much attention. And the ripple effect might boost the shady world of illegal betting dens.
