In recent years, the expansion of the global gambling industry has had a rather strange effect on its relationship with the mainstream media. For years, gambling was a topic to be avoided and chastised, but in a matter of years, new partnerships have emerged that have caused some to scratch their heads.
One example is the recent merger between Disney-owned ESPN and Penn Entertainment to form ESPN Bet, and another is the advent of CODE Bet, a gambling-focused offshoot from the Australian media giant News Corp.
CODE Bet is a part of CODE Sports, a hub that was launched in 2021 and features sports-related content from all mastheads under News Corp. CODE Bet essentially serves as an affiliate service, with betting-related content and direct links to major operators such as Ladbrokes and Bet365.
In a recent report from the Guardian, anti-gambling advocates blasted CODE Bet, especially in light of the ongoing debates around the country with regard to responsible gambling, harm minimization and player protections.
“News Corp seems to have hit a new low in preying on those vulnerable to gambling harm in its latest venture, the CodeSports website supported by its information hub, CODE Bet,” said Carol Bennet, chief executive of the Alliance for Gambling Reform.
“It beggars belief. Australia has the dubious honor of being the world’s biggest gambling losers and we have a national inquiry report highlighting the extensive harm this is causing in our most vulnerable populations.”
In response, CODE asserted in a statement that it is a “responsible” organization that will always “comply with the law.”
News Corp did not respond to comment about CODE Bet, and did not confirm whether or not the company receives trailing commissions for referrals, as is usually the case for affiliate services.
Aside from CODE Bet, the entire affiliate industry in Australia could potentially be on the ropes if a proposed ban on gaming advertisements is passed by the federal government.
In addition to the gambling controversy, News Corp is also dealing with the departure of founder Rupert Murdoch, who announced his resignation as chairman of both Fox Corp. and News Corp. on September 21, effective November 1.
The 92-year-old media mogul said in a letter to staff that both companies “have every reason to be optimistic about the coming years,” and promised to continue to be involved in their affairs moving forward. Murdoch’s son, Lachian, will take his place.
It’s unclear at this time how the media mogul’s departure will impact both companies, but one thing that is clear is that the discussion around gambling media and advertising is not going away any time soon.
“The media can amplify the harm produced by gambling operators by, for instance, providing a platform to recruit customers,” responsible gambling researcher Angela Rintoul told the Guardian. “The media can do a lot more to protect their audience from harm.”
