The streaming platform Paramount+ is under investigation for airing advertisements of the offshore betting company 8Xbet during the A-League match between Wellington Phoenix and Brisbane Roar in New Zealand.
These digitally imposed advertisements were broadcast in both Australia and New Zealand, potentially violating national regulations that prohibit the promotion of offshore gambling.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has launched an investigation into the incident and warned that violations of regulatory standards could lead to formal warnings, infringement notices, or legal action.
Paramount+ has attributed the issue to an external advertising agency, stating that an international program was mistakenly broadcast instead of an Australian program.
The company has assured regulators that it is working with suppliers to prevent such incidents from happening again.
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL), which oversees the A-League, detected the advertising breach during the first half of the match and attempted to remove the advertisements. However, due to technical issues, the advertisements reappeared in the second half.
Good news: APL's virtual advertising partner has traveled to New Zealand to investigate the issue and ensure compliance in the future.
The controversy has intensified as 8Xbet is not permitted to advertise in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, or the United Kingdom.
While APL allows the company to place advertisements in international broadcasts, its presence in Australian broadcasts has raised concerns about regulatory oversight.
The incident comes at a time when there is a broader debate about gambling advertisements in Australia, with the federal government considering restrictions on sports betting advertisements.
While national reforms remain stalled, New South Wales has taken independent action to ban gambling advertisements on public transport.
