Alcohol and Gambling Advertising ‘Saturate Every Part’ of Australian Sport: NRL and AFL Clubs Rake in Tens of Millions from Sponsorships
- Every NRL and AFL club has an alcohol sponsor this season, with deals worth tens of millions of dollars each year.
- The NRL and AFL have deals with sports betting companies, making money on every bet placed on their games.
- Alcohol and gambling ads are becoming more prevalent in women’s competitions, with nine AFLW teams and four NRLW teams having alcohol sponsorships.
- Pressure is growing on the Albanese government to toughen its gambling reforms, with critics calling for a full ban on gambling advertising.
The National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL) have been accused of allowing alcohol and gambling advertising to become “deeply embedded” in their codes, with every club having an alcohol sponsor and most having deals with sports betting companies.
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) has released a report showing that the NRL and AFL have deals worth tens of millions of dollars each year with sports betting companies, which see them make money on every bet placed on their games.
The report found that every NRL and AFL club has an alcohol sponsor this season, with five NRL clubs having alcohol logos on their jerseys and most clubs showing alcohol ads in stadiums.
Every NRL club promotes alcohol brands through their digital channels, and every AFL club advertises alcohol brands at stadiums during matches and through their digital channels.
The NRL and AFL have also been criticized for their deals with sports betting companies, which are worth $50 million per year for the NRL and $30 to $40 million per year for the AFL.
SportsBet is a major sponsor of both codes, under deals worth about $10 million per year to the NRL and between $8 million and $10 million per year to the AFL.
FARE’s State of Play report found that seven NRL clubs have gambling branding on their official playing uniforms this season, while betting advertising is part of 10 clubs’ match-day promotions and across 12 clubs’ digital channels.
Gambling sponsors are not on any AFL jerseys this season, but four clubs have digital gambling advertising and four clubs show betting ads at stadiums during matches.
The report also found that the volume of alcohol and betting ads during NRL and AFL broadcasts grew this year, with Seven and Nine both increasing their number of sponsors.
FARE chief executive Ayla Chorley said the report showed alcohol ads “saturate every part” of the sports and called on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to take action.
Analysis: What This Means for Australia
The prevalence of alcohol and gambling advertising in the NRL and AFL has serious implications for Australia’s public health and safety. The normalization of these ads can lead to increased consumption and problem gambling, particularly among young people.
The fact that every NRL and AFL club has an alcohol sponsor and most have deals with sports betting companies raises concerns about the influence of these industries on the sports.
Security analysts say that the close relationship between sports and betting companies can also have national security implications, as it can create vulnerabilities for money laundering and other financial crimes.
Law enforcement insiders warn that the growth of online sports betting can also lead to an increase in organized crime and match-fixing.
Industry observers believe that the Australian government needs to take a stronger stance on regulating alcohol and gambling advertising in sports.
The current proposals to limit gambling ads on TV and radio are seen as a step in the right direction, but many argue that more needs to be done to address the issue.
As the debate around alcohol and gambling advertising in sports continues, one thing is clear: the NRL and AFL need to take responsibility for their role in promoting these industries and take steps to reduce the harm caused by their advertising practices.
sports betting alcohol advertising Australian Communications and Media Authority