Australia’s government has confirmed plans to ban gambling advertising during live sports broadcasts before 8:30pm.

Last month, broadcasters and betting operators expressed opposition to reports that Communications Minister Mitch Fifield was preparing new restrictions on gambling advertising. Fifield has now confirmed that these changes will be incorporated into next week’s federal budget and will take effect in March 2018.

The changes will prohibit gambling adverts during live sports broadcasts – be they on television, radio or streamed online – that air before the traditional ‘mature audience’ watershed of 8:30pm. The ban will apply starting five minutes before a live sports event begins and will last until five minutes after the match finishes, or until 8:30pm, whichever comes sooner.

Fifield insists that the ban will ensure “a clear and practical zone for families and children to watch live sport.” Tellingly, the ban retains the existing exemptions for lotteries and race betting operators, because no child has ever grown up to become a race betting or lottery addict.