Media Giant Wants Compo If Gambling Ads Are Punted
Australian taxpayers must compensate the costs of a betting marketing ban to media companies' bottom lines, 9's chair states.
Nine Entertainment operated gambling ads in a heavily regulated environment and had actually remained in talks with government over the problem, Catherine West told investors at the group's yearly conference.
"If we are banned from having betting advertising, there's two things we would request," she said.
"Yes, some type of payment, some kind of some other reduction someplace else, however most notably, that the gaming restriction is reasonable throughout all sectors."
A ban that excluded tech companies would just divert advertising income offshore, she stated.
"Our most significant plea is is make it fair across the board, and don't disadvantage accountable Australian media business and enable a betting free-for-all in terms of the ad tech platforms," Ms West stated.
Gambling advertising income was in the low single digits as a percentage of the group's revenues and had actually been slipping for the past 3 years, the chair stated.
Polling reveals about 3 in 4 Australians support an overall restriction on gambling ads, but more 2 years after a landmark inquiry into gambling harm, the Albanese government is still mulling its reaction to its 31 recommendations.
A shelved proposition from Labor included a ban on betting advertisements during live sports broadcasts and an hour on either side, and a limit of two an hour beyond this.
Frustrated with ongoing uncertainty, the betting lobby is reportedly pressing for age-based constraints for gambling ads on social media accounts and minimized blackout durations in an effort to avoid a blanket restriction.
Nine would abide by whatever advertising rules were bied far, Ms West said.
"Our company believe that gambling across the society is a collective obligation for all stakeholders," she said.
"It's government, it's the wager inspector, it's sports organisations, media and likewise the wider neighborhood."
SBS has has actually taken matters into its own hands, using streaming service viewers the ability to opt-out of specific marketing classifications, consisting of gambling.
Nine had actually not thought about doing the same.
"That wouldn't work for our main broadcast service, however we will continue to work with the government and work towards executing any place they pertain to a landing on the gaming policies," Ms West said.
Nine avoided a second investor strike against its on Friday, after its owners sent a message in 2024 over bullying and harassment claims.
Its executive pay strategy won the blessing of more than four in five investors, who likewise voted overwhelmingly to re-elect Peter Tonagh as a director.
Mr Tonagh is set replace Ms West as chair, who will step down after 18 months in the role.
Multiple shareholders admired 9's monetary performance relative to its traditional media peers, reinforced by growth in its streaming platform Stan and the $3 billion sale of property platform Domain to US company CoStar Group.