Shadow Attorney-General George Brandis has flagged possible tighter regulations on "particularly invasive" gambling advertising during sports broadcasts should the Coalition win government.
Speaking on last night's Q&A on ABC1, Brandis said there was a case to be made for regulatory bodies to intervene when gambling promotion became so invasive it risked ruining the viewer's experience.
"I think we should start from the presumption that if people want to bet then that's a matter for them and it's not a matter for regulators to tell them that they shouldn't," he said.
"That having been said, I agree there has been something of a change, particularly in broadcast elite sport, in which the advertisements for betting and the display of odds on the screen is very constant and very invasive.
"There is a case for regulating broadcast advertising – as we do – in circumstances in which the particular form of advertising is so invasive that it risks ruining the viewer's experience of the game, but beyond that I wouldn't go."
Pressed by host Tony Jones on whether the Coalition would pursue increased federal government regulation should they win office, Brandis said there were limited circumstances in which a broadcasting authority such as ACMA should play a role.
He added: "Beyond that, I think we should always approach these issues with a strong presumption against the government telling people what to do."
Outgoing Labor senator Chris Evans called the growth in betting-related advertising over the past few years "insidious". "I know my sons, when we're watching footy now, describe the Dockers' chances at about $7, rather than normally saying we've got no chance," he said.
"[Regulating gambling advertising] is difficult but there is more than one way to skin a cat. I think we can get better practices, and we're seeing now that it is also, it appears, driving corruption and organised crime links, so this is a serious issue."
Australian sporting codes have come under heavy scrutiny in the past week following a report from the Australian Crime Commission alleging widespread doping and links to organised crime. It has been argued by the ACC that peptides supplied by parties with links to crime syndicates can unduly influence the outcomes of games.
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