For the first time ever, gambling advertising will be permitted at Melbourne Park for the Australian open. The campaign, which will be run by William Hill, is quite contentious, as responsible gambling advocates continue to fight against the spread of gambling advertising during sporting events. Advertisements will be displayed on electronic boards during breaks.
While spectators will not see gambling ads during play, gambling researchers are concerned about young people being exposed to by the ads. Professor Samantha Thomas, Associate Professor at Deakin University, argues that the ads will possibly children who are attending the event to associate sports with gambling. "It would be incredibly naïve to think children would not be influenced by it," she says.
Anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello has spoken out against the new advertisements from William Hill. He states that the coverage that is ‘littered with ads from gambling pushers’ will turn spectators off and possibly encourage more betting corruption in the tennis world. The Victorian government has also voiced concerns about the proliferation of gambling ads in all sorts of sports broadcasts.
On the other hand, Tennis Australia defends the decision to allow gambling advertisements at the event. Richard Heaselgrave, director of the organisation, states that gambling is a leisure activity that has been a part of tennis for years. He has defended the choice of William Hill as a partner; although the company is a gambling operator, William Hill is well-known for its commitment to maintaining the integrity of tennis.
"William Hill has a strong track record working with global sporting bodies and a significant aspect of this partnership is our capacity to work side-by-side to uphold the integrity framework of the sport,” he says. "We are looking forward to a successful partnership which will include visibility within our stadiums."
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