ACMA issues a warning to a local sports streaming service for displaying gambling advertisements

The ACMA has issued a warning to the Kayo sports streaming service for broadcasting gambling promotions within 5 minutes of the start of a match, which violates ACMA’s regulations prohibiting gambling advertisements during this timeframe.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has cautioned the sports streaming service Kayo for displaying gambling ads outside of the permitted time frame. The ACMA determined that Kayo had violated regulations by airing gambling advertisements during the May 2022 Fremantle V Collingwood AFL match.

Under ACMA rules, gambling ads are prohibited from being streamed during live sports events between 5am and 8.30pm, as well as during the five minutes before and after the event. However, an investigation revealed that gambling promotions were shown on the Kayo service within five minutes prior to the start of the match and during scheduled breaks.

As per Nerida O’Loughlin, ACMA Chair’s statement, “Streaming services must adhere to the same rules as traditional TV broadcasters. The prevalence of gambling ads during live sports is a significant concern for Australians, as families want to enjoy sports without the risk of normalizing gambling for children.”

Following ACMA’s investigation, Kayo has taken action by implementing live production testing and making technical enhancements to its software and advertising scheduling processes. Furthermore, Kayo’s senior management will conduct reviews and approvals for any future system changes that could impact the platform’s compliance.

In a recent move, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has instructed internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to four additional offshore gaming websites. The websites identified for blocking are Firefox Casino, Shazam Casino, Rich Prize, and Heaps O Wins. With these additions, the total number of websites on ACMA’s blocking list has now reached 723. ACMA initiated its first blocking request back in November 2019.