As we come into footy finals and the start of the spring racing season, it’s important to be mindful of what your advertising content portrays, particularly when advertising wagering services. While licensed operators can legally advertise wagering products and services in Australia, there are rules in place to protect the community and ensure that wagering ads are delivered in a responsible way. This includes the rules set out in the AANA Wagering Advertising and Marketing Code.
Some key things to keep in mind
When advertising wagering activities, ensure you:
- Don’t use imagery that interests children
- Don’t show excessive participation
- Don’t depict anyone who looks below the age of 25 participating in a wagering activity
- Be aware of the other codes that apply to all ads, on all media
You can view the full AANA Wagering Advertising and Marketing Code to find out more.
Other regulatory bodies who look at the promotion of wagering and gambling ads include:
- Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
- State and Territory regulators
Some recent cases
The Ad Standards Community Panel has reviewed a few interesting cases this year under the AANA Wagering Code.
0149-22 – A betting company’s digital ad showed a man holding a sign that said ‘Cashing Out is for Pussies.’ This case was found to breach the AANA Wagering Code for being disparaging of people who wish to stop wagering. It also breached the AANA Code of Ethics for using phrasing that is degrading to women.
0107-22 – A betting company’s TV ad received complaints due to the spokesperson stating she knew that a specific leg in her multi-leg bet would happen. The Panel found that she did not imply or state a promise of winning, and a winning outcome is still dependent on other factors of the bet. The complaints were dismissed.
0098-22 – A betting company’s TV ad received complaints about depicting emergency workers gambling on the job. The Community Panel noted that the scenario depicted was highly exaggerated and unrealistic. The complaints were dismissed.
Are you concerned about your ad content?
If you have any concerns that your content might not align with any areas of the advertising codes, you can submit a request for Copy Advice .
We can provide you with fast and confidential guidance about potential issues in your content and the best way to go about fixing them. We accept requests for all new concepts, imagery, copy and campaigns prior to publication, broadcast or public release.