Ending constant ads

As a household, we're generally too busy to watch much television and that infrequency makes the advertising that much more striking.

The constant advertising, whether for the lottery Mega whatever, or our nearby Slot Barns proclaims the route to financial security is gambling and betting.

Much like cigarette and alcohol ads were banned, it should be time for the Gambling Industry to be curtailed as well.


Call to curb constant on-air plugs for TAB betting
STEVE KILGALLON AND AARON LAWTON

Problem gambling activists are calling for curbs on the "very dangerous" trend of television sports commentators spruiking instant sports betting.

Graeme Ramsey, CEO of the Problem Gambling Foundation, said he was very worried by the growing trend for TV commentators, particularly for cricket, to promote TAB odds during play.

Ramsey said it was time for the practice to be regulated and asked if commentators should be made to open up their own TAB accounts to public scrutiny.

"It's important sport remains free, and is seen to remain free, of corruption, so if that means more scrutiny, maybe that is an idea."

Ramsey said forms of betting where the result was near-instant were usually more appealing to problem gamblers.

"With a horse race, you at least have to wait until the end of the race, but now you can see them offering odds on what will happen in the next over – so it is getting increasingly instant and increasingly accessible," he said. "There are real potential dangers in these new forms of betting, and it is certainly a major factor for problem gamblers.

"As a general rule, the shorter the gap, the bigger the problem. It's certainly something we're keeping an eye on."

But the biggest issue with TV commentators promoting gambling was that it "normalised" it, he said.

"You've got to question the motivation of people who are doing that.

"I would like to see it regulated. We've seen a decline in more traditional forms of gambling – like pokies – and we're now seeing a rise in new forms of sports betting, especially instant sports betting, which we need to keep a close eye on: it could become very problematic."

Recent criticism, led by Sunday Star-Times columnist Richard Boock, centred on the first cricket test against Pakistan.

Sky Chief executive John Fellett said suggestions commentators were under instructions or there was some incentive to promote gambling were incorrect.

"I can assure you neither is the case," Fellett said. He said the TAB paid for a pre-match spot where it explained its odds.

Fellett was out of the country when the first test aired. He had viewed some of the coverage but was reluctant to pass judgement until he had seen all of it.

He admitted he had come across a few instances where the commentators made mention of odds related to shifts in momentum in the match, something that cricket lent itself to because of the long nature of the game.

"I'm not crazy about that. But I thought it would be unfair for me to talk to the boys before I get a chance to watch the whole thing in detail just to see whether it was laced with that or I happened to stumble upon the areas where they did it the most," Fellett said. "I have not finished watching the whole match yet but I'm committed to do that.

"There may be some stuff that I'm terribly embarrassed about and I would share in the criticism of it. I think if there was constant reference to betting that would turn everybody off."

NZ Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said he had no influence on the repeated mentions of the TAB, saying it was Sky's own commercial arrangement, but was "OK" with it. NZ Cricket collect a small percentage from all bets but Vaughan said that was a "very small" revenue stream.

"I do understand that Sky has been doing more around promoting the TAB," he said. "Really, to a degree, that's their prerogative ...

"But we do want to keep a close eye on it to make sure that the reputation of the game itself is not being in any way lessened or tainted as a consequence."

Vaughan said the TAB was offering "fairly standard areas of betting" and added: "While I'm not a person who bets on sport, I understand a lot of people do and get a lot of enjoyment and perhaps get more engaged with the sport as a consequence of that. That's not a bad thing for cricket."

Among TAB bets available on yesterday's ODI between New Zealand and Pakistan were odds on the highest opening partnership, the total runs from the first over, the score after 10 overs, the team to score the most sixes, the number of run-outs and wides, and the method of the first dismissal.