Max Hatzoglou
Brimbank council condemns the direct marketing campaigns that were delivered by Sportsbet between January 2020 and March 2021 without customers’ consent and no option to unsubscribe.
An estimated $2.3 billion was lost in Victoria in 2020-21 on wagering and sports betting, representing a 42 per cent increase over the previous year.
The lockdowns contributed to these increases, with more than 85 per cent of these bets now made online.
With Brimbank recording the highest pokies loss in the state, local residents likely contributed to these increases particularly because pokie venues were closed during lockdowns.
Brimbank has experienced sustained high losses from electronic gaming machines for more than a decade with the municipality recently recording the highest losses ever in a single month in December 2021.
Gambling companies spent $271 million on advertising in Australia during 2020, using tactics to attract and keep their customers.
The money spent on advertising represents a 300 per cent increase since 2011.
Council welcomes the Australian Communication and Media Authority decision to fine Sportsbet under the Spam Act 2003 and supports the Alliance for Gambling Reform’s ‘End Gambling Ads’ campaign, which calls for a complete ban on gambling advertising.
The motion was brought forward by councilor Virginia Tachos in the last council meeting on March 15 with all councilors voting in favour.
Brimbank Mayor Jasmine Nguyen condemned the advertising and assured more advocacy will be done to regulate gambling in a media release.
“Brimbank Council condemns Sportsbet’s harmful marketing campaign between January 2020 and March 2021, in which it sent around 150,000 text messages and emails to about 37,000 customers, offering incentives to gamble or alerts about upcoming events, without consent or an option to unsubscribe,” Cr Nguyen said.
“This is unacceptable and Council welcomes the decision by the Australian Communication and Media Authority to issue Sportsbet with an Infringement Notice to pay $2.5 million in fines for contraventions of the Spam Act 2003.
“Brimbank is heavily impacted by gambling harm and we wholeheartedly support the Alliance for Gambling Reform’s ‘End Gambling Ads’ campaign, which calls for a complete ban on gambling advertising.
“Council will continue our strong advocacy for regulatory reform of the gambling industry, particularly as our community recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, and raise our concern at the proliferation of gambling ads and the growing convergence of gambling and online gaming.”
