Australian gambling companies invested $240,000 in Facebook ads promoting bets on the US election.

Australian Gambling Operators Spend $240,000 on US Election Bets Ads

Leading Australian gambling operators, including TAB, Ladbrokes, Sportsbet, and Neds, spent over $240,000 on Facebook ads promoting novelty bets tied to the US election. These bets included wagers on the color of Donald Trump’s tie, whether he would mention fraud in his speech, or if the losing candidate would concede on election night.

Key Highlights:

• Between October 31 and November 6, the operators ranked as the top Facebook advertisers in Australia on Meta’s ad library tool for politics-related ads, collectively spending $229,789.
• TAB led the spending with $100,225, followed by Palmerbet at $11,000.
• The ads primarily targeted men under 35, focusing on engaging younger audiences with “novelty markets.”

Examples of Bets Promoted:

• Ladbrokes featured bets such as “Will Trump’s speech mention fraud or legal challenges?”
• Neds allocated up to $28,000 to promote a bet on the color of Trump’s tie during his election night speech.
• Sportsbet spent up to $30,000 advertising a range of US election-related markets, including a digital ad featuring Trump and Kamala Harris.

Regulatory Context

The ad campaigns come at a pivotal time, with the Australian government expected to unveil its long-awaited response to the Peta Murphy inquiry into gambling advertising. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has promised to introduce legislation addressing gambling ads within this parliamentary term.

Calls for Action

• The Greens: Sarah Hanson-Young, the party’s communications spokesperson, urged swift action on a full ban of gambling ads, citing the “tragic human cost” of gambling.
• Responsible Wagering Australia (RWA): CEO Kai Cantwell advocated for targeted measures like age verification and ad opt-out options instead of a blanket ban, warning against pushing consumers toward unregulated offshore markets.

With the debate intensifying, the government faces pressure to balance reducing gambling ad exposure with supporting the regulated market and its contributions to the sports and media industries.