The former CEO of one of Australia’s leading wagering companies has voiced strong support for stringent restrictions on sports betting advertising, advocating for an outright ban on all social media ads.
s, who led ASX-listed Tabcorp from 2007 to 2011, has observed the dramatic evolution of the betting industry into a sector with vast reach across various sports, age groups, and demographics. He recently created a TikTok account as a test and quickly encountered sports betting posts.
“We’ve reached a point where the risk of harm to young people has significantly increased compared to 15 years ago,” Mr. Funke Kupper remarked. “If we don’t implement a complete ban on advertising, we should at least impose substantial restrictions across all platforms—both traditional and social media.”
He argues that the need to reduce wagering promotion is clear. The internet’s growth and increased smartphone access, especially among children, have driven a more than 200 percent increase in betting companies’ advertising expenditure over the last decade.
They may claim not to target children, and that could be true, but it doesn’t mean the audience isn’t being reached. One in four children can identify at least one gambling brand,” Mr. Funke Kupper added.
This indicates that exposure to these brands, whether through mainstream or social media or even logos on sports jerseys, is having an impact. The reason advertising has surged is because it proves effective.”
The Albanese government has recently been engaging with gambling companies, sports organizations, media outlets, and anti-gambling advocates.
It has proposed a ban on TV ads during live sports events and for an hour before and after, limiting ads to two per hour until 10 p.m. Additionally, it seeks to prohibit ads on social media and digital platforms. Industry data shows that gambling advertising exceeds $300 million annually, with roughly $180 million allocated to broadcasters, excluding digital advertising.
This issue has become a political challenge for the government, as the proposals do not meet the outright ban recommended by a parliamentary inquiry into online gambling harms last year. The Labor-led inquiry issued 32 recommendations, and the government claims it is addressing them.
The gambling industry argues that the proposed measures are excessive and that harms can be managed with ad caps, age restrictions, and opt-out options. Conversely, advocates for a complete ban have criticized the proposal as yielding to the media and gambling sectors.
Responsible Wagering Australia, the industry lobby group, contends that gambling is a minor concern for voters compared to cost-of-living and housing issues, referencing a poll of 1,550 people commissioned from Freshwater Strategy.
The poll revealed that 19 percent of Australians engage in regular gambling. Labor voters were proportionally more likely to be regular gamblers, although a higher number of Coalition voters reported gambling. Over half of those surveyed (56 percent) supported restrictions on advertisements, while 37 percent favored a complete ban.
When asked about the top issue facing Australians, 42 percent cited the cost of living, and 13 percent mentioned housing. Less than one percent identified gambling as a major concern.
Kai Cantwell, Chief Executive of Responsible Wagering Australia, argued that a complete ban on online ads is unnecessary. He proposed that ads should be allowed for logged-in users over 18, who could opt out if they choose.
This sensible, balanced approach will address public concerns without compromising harm reduction efforts, cutting revenue for sports, racing, and media, or limiting the enjoyment of responsible gamblers,” Mr. Cantwell stated.
Mr. Funke Kupper, who served as chief executive of the Australian Securities Exchange until 2016 and is now a non-executive director at software company MYOB and insurer Suncorp, criticized the gambling industry’s stance on reducing betting ads.
“Responsible Wagering Australia should really be called Sports Betting Promotion Australia. It has only a superficial sense of social responsibility,” he said.
