Heavy advertising of addictive and potentially harmful products such as alcohol and gambling during sports broadcasts raises questions about the influence those industries exert on politicians, anti-addiction crusaders Tim Costello and Nick Xenophon say.
They said advertisers and networks were able to promote such products during televised sports events in family viewing hours because of the leverage they had over state and federal politicians.
The spruiking of odds from Betfair during cricket telecasts particularly unsettled the pair.
"I am disturbed that Richie Benaud spruiks Betfair [during match commentary]. It's a really sad comedown," Mr Costello told the Herald.
Most parents would not want their children exposed to alcohol and betting advertising while watching cricket but the game was now heavily dependent on advertising from both, Mr Costello said.
"I would call on fans to ring the Channel Nine switchboard in their state and voice their disapproval of the blatant blurring of the lines between a great Australian pastime and the gambling industry."
But the influence of hotel and gambling lobbies which generate significant revenue for state governments was such that the big political parties resisted calls for tighter regulation, said Senator Xenophon, an independent, and his Family First counterpart, Senator Steve Fielding.
"There does seem to be a double standard. We have all this concern about junk food advertising on TV but when it comes to alcohol advertising, they can do it with impunity," Senator Xenophon said.
"There is a lot of money at stake," he said of the alcohol and gambling industries. "They are very powerful."
"Saturation sponsorship" of betting during sportscasts normalised gambling in the minds of viewers, many of whom are children, he said. "Gambling is an adult pastime that should only be promoted to adults."
A spokeswoman for Channel Nine said the critics were entitled to their views and the network had no comment. (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)
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