SBS acknowledges that gambling advertising can be a sensitive issue for some Australians. While views on this type of advertising differ, under the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 (SBS Act), SBS can generate revenue by broadcasting and publishing advertising (including sponsorship announcements).
Advertising provides a valuable source of funding for SBS to invest in the creation of distinctive local content (e.g. Alone Australia, Our Medicine, Dateline, Insight and SBS Examines) and the provision of essential services (e.g. Australia Explained and Learn English) to Australia’s diverse communities.
In principle, SBS accepts all advertising that complies with relevant legal and regulatory requirements, with limited exceptions (see Guideline 4.3, SBS Commercial, Funding and External Relationships Guidelines).
The advertising of betting and gambling services is highly regulated in Australia. SBS is subject to a number of strict restrictions regarding both the content and placement of these types of advertisements across all of its services – TV, radio and digital/online:
- SBS complies with rules that restrict the promotion of odds and commercials relating to betting and gambling in live sports coverage - see below for what restrictions are in place for betting and gambling advertisements in live sports coverage.
- SBS follows the betting and gambling advertising restrictions in the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice which restricts the timing and placement of commercials relating to betting and gambling in G classified content and content that is principally directed to children at certain times of the day.
SBS requires all betting and gambling advertising to comply with other relevant legal and regulatory requirements, including the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) Wagering Advertising Code. The object of this Code is to ensure that advertisers maintain a high sense of social responsibility in the way they advertise wagering products in Australia. For example, by not depicting young people in any advertising, and not portraying, condoning or encouraging participation in wagering activities as a means of relieving a person’s financial or personal difficulties.
A summary of these regulations and standards is provided on the Australian Communication and Media Authority’s (ACMA) website and the advertising industry’s Ad Standards website.
SBS has additional safeguards in place to address community concerns about betting and gambling services. SBS takes a responsible approach to managing the placement of advertisements for products that have the potential to have a harmful effect on members of the community due to circumstances of vulnerability.
SBS also addresses social issues such as problem gambling in its editorial coverage on programs such as Insight. SBS’s approach to betting and gambling advertising balances its role of examining issues of public interest, while also ensuring that its advertising activity complies with restrictions that seek to minimise harm.
What restrictions are in place for betting and gambling advertising in live sports coverage?
SBS TV and radio broadcasting services
Under the SBS Code of Practice, SBS follows the relevant industry standards which restrict the promotion of odds and commercials relating betting and gambling in live sports events broadcast on SBS’s TV and radio services (section 4.2.1):
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TV - Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice (Appendix 3: Restrictions on Promotion of Odds and Commercials relating to Betting and Gambling which are broadcast during a Live Sporting Event).
During a live sporting event, broadcasters must follow the rules, which include:- No gambling advertising or promotion of odds is allowed during play. From 8.30 pm to 5.00am gambling advertising is permitted in scheduled breaks only (such as half-time and between full time and extra time)
- No promotion of odds is allowed during breaks in play (such as half-time)
Additional rules apply from 5.00 am to 8.30 pm
No gambling advertising or promotion of odds is permitted from 5 minutes before the published scheduled start of play until 5 minutes after play (where the scheduled start of play is published), including during breaks.
Please refer to the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice Appendix 3 for more information.
- Radio - Commercial Radio Code of Practice (Section 9 Promotion of gambling and betting odds in live sports coverage).
SBS digital/online services
SBS digital/online services are subject to similar rules to those that apply to SBS’s TV and radio broadcasting services. The rules for digital/online content service providers are set out in the Broadcasting Services (Online Content Service Provider) Rules 2018.
The rules state that they include:
- no gambling advertising or promotion of odds is allowed during play. From 8.30pm to 5.00am gambling advertising is permitted in scheduled breaks only (such as half-time and between full time and extra time)
- no promotion of odds is allowed during breaks in play (such as half time)
Additional rules apply for Gambling ads during live sport streamed over the internet
From 5.00am to 8.30pm. No gambling advertising or promotion of odds is permitted from 5 minutes before the published scheduled start of play, until 5 minutes after play, including during breaks.
A summary of these regulations and standards is provided on the Australian Communication and Media Authority’s (ACMA) website.
SBS On Demand opt-out feature
SBS recognises that some Australians may have concerns about certain categories of advertising. To provide greater choice and control, SBS On Demand subscribers may select one category of video advertisements to opt out of:
- Betting / Wagering excluding Lotteries or
- Alcohol or
- Quick Service Restaurants
SBS is the first broadcaster globally to introduce this feature. To learn more and to register, please click here.
Play from Start or Watch Live feature on SBS On Demand for the FIFA World Cup 2026™
When you choose to watch “Play from the start” on SBS On Demand’s live coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the start of the coverage includes SBS’s pre-game show. You may land in an ad break. Ads cannot be skipped during live playback, so you’ll need to watch until your program begins. For more information on this feature, please click here.
If you or someone you know might have an online gambling problem, we recommend that you seek help through Gambling Help Online.