Streaming giant Paramount+ has come under scrutiny after airing advertisements for offshore gambling company 8Xbet during an A-League match between Wellington Phoenix and Brisbane Roar in New Zealand last Thursday.
The ads, digitally imposed on the sidelines, were broadcast in both Australia and New Zealand, potentially breaching national advertising regulations that prohibit offshore gambling promotions.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has launched an inquiry into the incident, stating that regulatory breaches could result in formal warnings, infringement notices, enforceable undertakings, or even federal court action.
Paramount+ has blamed the broadcast on an external advertising agency, explaining that the international feed was mistakenly aired instead of the Australian feed. A spokesperson for the streaming service said the company is working urgently with its supplier to ensure the mistake does not happen again.
“Paramount+ inadvertently broadcast some inserted virtual advertisements during the Wellington Phoenix and Brisbane Roar match live from New Zealand on Thursday, February 6, due to the international feed being provided, rather than the Australian feed,” a spokesperson for Paramount told The Guardian. “This feed is provided by a third party, and Paramount+ is working urgently with the supplier now to ensure this does not happen again.”
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL), which governs the A-League, identified the breach in the first half of the match and attempted to remove the ads, but they reappeared in the second half due to a technical glitch. APL’s virtual advertising partner has since flown to New Zealand to investigate the error and ensure it does not happen again in upcoming matches.
The controversy over the 8Xbet ads is further fueled by the fact that the company is not legally allowed to advertise in Australia, New Zealand, the US, or the UK. However, as part of a commercial deal, APL has allowed 8Xbet to advertise during international broadcasts of A-League matches.
The company operates in Southeast Asia and has drawn criticism from anti-gambling advocates for targeting vulnerable audiences. A search for the company on Google in Australia generated a link to the service but with the message “Dear, your current location is restricted, please contact our online customer service for further information. 24/7 Services. Asia Customer Service”.
On some devices, the search generates sponsored links to other betting companies like SportsBet.
The incident comes amid ongoing political debates regarding the future of gambling advertising in Australia. The Albanese government had been considering a significant reduction in sports betting ads, including a proposed ban during live sports broadcasts. However, pressure from major media companies, betting firms, and sporting leagues has stalled these reforms until after the federal election.
While the federal government hesitates, the New South Wales Labor government has taken decisive action, announcing a ban on gambling ads across the state’s public transport network. This follows mounting evidence of gambling harm and growing public sentiment against the saturation of betting promotions during live sports events.
The Paramount+ breach highlights the challenges of regulating gambling ads in an increasingly globalised sports broadcasting landscape. With digital advertising technologies allowing region-specific targeting, the line between domestic and international content is becoming increasingly blurred.
As regulators investigate this latest breach, the case may serve as a test for how strictly Australian authorities will enforce their stance on gambling advertising moving forward.
