1 Media Giant Wants Compo if Gambling Ads Are Punted

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Australian taxpayers should compensate the expenses of a gaming advertising ban to media business' bottom lines, 9's chair says.

Nine Entertainment ran gambling advertisements in a heavily regulated environment and had actually remained in talks with federal government over the concern, Catherine West informed shareholders at the group's yearly conference.

"If we are prohibited from having gaming marketing, there's 2 things we would ask for," she said.

"Yes, some type of payment, some kind of some other reduction somewhere else, but most notably, that the betting ban is fair throughout all sectors."

A restriction that left out tech business would only divert advertising revenue offshore, she said.

"Our biggest plea is is make it fair across the board, and don't downside accountable Australian media business and permit a gambling free-for-all in terms of the ad tech platforms," Ms West said.

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

Polling reveals about three in 4 Australians support a total restriction on gambling ads, however more two years after a landmark questions into betting damage, the Albanese government is still mulling its reaction to its 31 recommendations.

A shelved proposition from Labor consisted of a restriction on gambling advertisements throughout live sports broadcasts and an hour on either side, and a limitation of two an hour outside of this.

Frustrated with continuous unpredictability, the gambling lobby is reportedly promoting age-based restrictions for gambling ads on social networks accounts and reduced blackout durations in an effort to prevent a blanket ban.

Nine would adhere to whatever marketing guidelines were bied far, Ms West said.

"Our company believe that gambling across the society is a cumulative duty for all stakeholders," she stated.

"It's government, it's the wager inspector, it's sports organisations, media and likewise the wider community."

SBS has has taken matters into its own hands, using streaming service audiences the ability to opt-out of specific marketing categories, including betting.

Nine had actually not considered doing the same.

"That wouldn't work for our primary broadcast service, however we will continue to work with the government and work towards executing any place they come to a landing on the gambling guidelines," Ms West stated.

Nine prevented a second shareholder strike against its reimbursement report on Friday, after its owners sent out a message in 2024 over bullying and harassment claims.

Its executive pay strategy won the blessing of more than 4 in five investors, who likewise voted extremely to re-elect Peter Tonagh as a director.

Mr Tonagh is set Ms West as chair, who will step down after 18 months in the role.

Multiple investors lauded 9's financial performance relative to its traditional media peers, boosted by growth in its streaming platform Stan and the $3 billion sale of genuine estate platform Domain to US business CoStar Group.