Media roundup: Betting firms pull advertising, Margot Robbie says no to Netflix, ABC moves Audio of out Content division, TV dollars unite NRL clubs [Video]

Business of Media

Betting firms pull $15m in advertising as crackdown looms

Australia’s major wagering firms have carved a $150 million hole in the advertising market as they pre-emptively pull back spending while the government mulls whether to ban online betting ads entirely, reports The AFR’s Sam Buckingham-Jones.

Data from independent firm Guideline (formerly Standard Media Index), which tracks how much Australia’s advertising agencies spend in different areas, shows the gambling category has plunged from $300 million in 2022, to $251 million in 2023, and to $150 million in the past 12 months. This fall was particularly pronounced in the television sector, JPMorgan analyst Don Carducci said.

Sportsbet says it spent 21 per cent less on the NRL and AFL finals and spring racing this year. A spokesman said it had “reduced its advertising over the past two years, which we are evolving in line with community expectations”. …