Sports streaming service Kayo has been issued a formal warning by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for breaching gambling advertising rules. An ACMA investigation found that Kayo showed gambling advertisements during the May 2022 Australian Football League (AFL) match between Fremantle and Collingwood, with the promotions being streamed within a five-minute window of play commencing and during scheduled breaks. Australian law dictates that gambling ads must not be streamed during live sports events between 5 am and 8.30 pm, including the five minutes before and after the event.

ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin stressed that streaming services need to comply with the same rules as traditional television broadcasters. She further noted that gambling advertising during live sports is a major concern for Australians, as families want to watch live sports without needing to worry that children may come to think of gambling as a part of the game. During its investigation, ACMA found that Kayo implemented live production testing and technical enhancements to both the processes and software it uses to schedule advertising. In addition, the Authority said Kayo will now have senior management review and sign off on future system changes that may impact the streaming platform’s compliance with rules on advertising.