Media Giant Wants Compo If Gambling Ads Are Punted

Australian taxpayers need to compensate the expenses of a betting advertising restriction to media business' bottom lines, 9's chair says.


Nine Entertainment operated gambling advertisements in a greatly regulated environment and had been in talks with government over the problem, Catherine West told shareholders at the group's yearly meeting.


"If we are banned from having betting marketing, there's two things we would ask for," she said.


"Yes, some kind of settlement, some type of some other reduction somewhere else, but most notably, that the betting restriction is reasonable throughout all sectors."


A ban that left out tech companies would only divert advertising revenue offshore, she stated.


"Our most significant plea is is make it reasonable throughout the board, and don't disadvantage responsible Australian media companies and enable a betting free-for-all in terms of the advertisement tech platforms," Ms West said.


Gambling marketing earnings remained in the low single digits as a portion of the group's earnings and had been slipping for the previous 3 years, the chair said.


Polling shows about 3 in 4 Australians support a total ban on betting advertisements, however more 2 years after a landmark query into betting damage, the 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 outside of this.


Frustrated with ongoing uncertainty, the betting lobby is reportedly pressing for age-based limitations for betting ads on social media accounts and decreased blackout periods in an effort to prevent a blanket ban.


Nine would comply with whatever advertising guidelines were handed down, Ms West said.


"Our company believe that betting throughout the society is a cumulative obligation for all stakeholders," she stated.


"It's government, it's the wager inspector, it's sports organisations, media and also the more comprehensive community."


SBS has actually has actually taken matters into its own hands, offering streaming service viewers the capability to opt-out of particular marketing categories, including gambling.


Nine had ruled out doing the same.


"That wouldn't work for our main broadcast service, however we will continue to work with the federal government and work towards executing any place they pertain to a landing on the gaming guidelines," Ms West said.


Nine prevented a 2nd investor strike against its remuneration report on Friday, after its owners sent a message in 2024 over bullying and harassment claims.


Its executive pay plan won the true blessing of more than four in 5 investors, who also 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 lauded 9's monetary efficiency relative to its conventional media peers, bolstered by development in its streaming platform Stan and the $3 billion sale of realty platform Domain to US company CoStar Group.