Many Upset Over Online Gambling Ads

December 30, 2008

During the Boxing Day Test the Nine Network allowed online gambling ads to be shown, due to a partnership that went on between Cricket Australia and Betfair. However, their partnership notwithstanding, there are a lot of angry people who say that this was not the venue that online gambling ads should have been allowed in, especially since there were children watching.

Cricket Australia and Betfair had entered into a partnership for the 2008-09 summer. Due to this contract, Betfair got signages on the ground during the domestic 3 mobile Test Series vs. South Africa, and at the Commonwealth Bank one day International Series.

However, their ads were shown during the event, and anti online gambling groups are upset because they say that they are exposing children to online gambling. They say that there is a time and a place for everything and this was not it. Allegedly World Vision head Tim Costello and South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon were shocked as well as the other viewers. They said that online �gambling is a part of life,� but that they did not feel this was the right venue as it was a family event.

Xenophon, who was elected on an anti online gambling platform, said that he wanted to see the government impose regulations on those that broadcast the events making them as culpable as those doing the advertising. Costello also took issue with the way that Betfair�s odds were quoted during the event as well. They say that online gambling addiction breaks up families and should not be showcased at a family event.





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