NRL Teams Extend Ban on Betting Sponsorships

The South Sydney Rabbitohs and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, two Australian National Rugby League (NRL) teams, have decided to keep their ban on all sports betting sponsorships for the next three years.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, both NRL clubs located in New South Wales (NSW), have agreed to maintain their prohibition on all sports betting sponsorships for the next three years. Both teams will continue to educate players, staff, and fans about the dangers of gambling and will not display betting advertisements during NRL home matches.

This decision aligns with the New South Wales government’s “Reclaim the Game” campaign. Launched in 2020, the campaign covers various sports and encourages teams to avoid marketing agreements with gambling companies.

The Rabbitohs and Bulldogs have been supporting the initiative for the past two years, displaying the “Reclaim the Game” branding at all home games.

According to the New South Wales government, awareness of GambleAware’s responsible gambling services has increased significantly since partnering with the two teams. The state government claims that approximately one-third of Rabbitohs and Bulldogs supporters are familiar with the GambleAware website and hotline.

Sporting events of the National Rugby League draw in massive crowds and receive a significant amount of media coverage,” stated Alison Parkinson, head of the New South Wales Responsible Gambling Office. “The NRL is closely associated with gambling advertising and sponsorships, which raises the risk of gambling-related harm among supporters.

“The South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Bulldogs have been at the forefront of the movement against the excessive presence of gambling ads in the NRL. They are actively working to create a family-friendly atmosphere on game days. Family traditions often determine allegiance to particular clubs. Attitudes towards gambling can also be passed down through generations.”

The government stated that the widespread support for the program has allowed the initiative to reach a vast audience of viewers across over 260 games. This includes television broadcasts and within stadiums. The program enjoys ongoing backing.

“Reclaim the Game” now has 11 partners across five sports, including the Australian Football League (AFL), A-League, cricket, National Basketball League, and NRL.

Other teams and organizations supporting the program include the AFL team Sydney Swans, A-League clubs Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Macarthur FC, and Cricket NSW.

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with ‘Reclaim the Game’,” said South Sydney Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly. “Their dedication to being a positive social movement aligns with our club’s core principles. We are pleased to continue collaborating to challenge the notion that gambling is an ordinary aspect of sports.”

The top executive of the Bulldogs, Aaron Warburton, stated, “Rugby league is among the most entertaining sports to observe. We firmly believe our supporters should have the opportunity to appreciate the game without being overwhelmed by wagering advertisements.”

Could Australia prohibit wagering advertisements?

Australia already has certain regulations regarding wagering advertisements. They are not permitted on television or radio during live sporting events from 5am to 8:30pm.

However, there are still numerous wagering advertisements in Australia. In the past year, there were over a million wagering advertisements on television and radio. Half of these were for online wagering.

Some television channels are already taking their own steps to reduce wagering advertisements. For instance, the Special Broadcasting Service allows viewers to opt out of seeing wagering advertisements.

Australia could go even further and forbid all wagering advertisements. Last year, a group of legislators suggested that we should ban all wagering advertisements, beginning with those on television and radio.

A group of legislators investigated online wagering and its impact on individuals with wagering issues. They devised 31 proposals to improve Australia’s wagering industry.

The group aims to fully eliminate all betting advertisements on television and the web. They claim this is to eradicate any methods individuals attempt to circumvent regulations.

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