Crown fools – Casino-link sees SBS breached over advertising

Australia’s media regulator has ruled that SBS breached gambling advertising rules during its coverage of the Tour de France in July 2025, after airing a Crown Resorts commercial outside permitted timeframes.

An investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found the advertisement was broadcast during a live sporting event in circumstances where gambling promotions are tightly restricted under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice.

Those rules limit such advertising to before or after play, or during breaks, within a designated overnight window.

At the centre of the finding was a Crown advertisement that emphasised dining, entertainment and accommodation, but included the phrase “premier casino resort”.

The ACMA determined that wording shifted the ad beyond the scope of an exception that allows promotions for non-gambling amenities at venues where betting occurs.

Authority member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the reference to a casino meant the advertisement could not rely on that exemption.

“The ‘dining or entertainment exception’ under the Code does not apply if any part of the advertisement draws attention to gambling in a manner calculated to directly promote such gambling activities,” she said. “Such advertisements will be subject to the rules around gambling ads shown during live sport.”

The regulator examined multiple Crown advertisements aired during the cycling event, concluding that two others complied with the code because they focused solely on food, dining and entertainment and did not include comparable language.

The case represents the first time the ACMA has tested how the “dining or entertainment” exception should be applied in practice, and it warned broadcasters to take care with wording that could imply gambling promotion.

SBS said it did not agree with the decision but reiterated its commitment to meeting regulatory requirements and treating compliance obligations seriously.