The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Regulators yesterday unveiled a proposed crackdown on gaming advertising carried by Bahamian TV and radio stations in a bid to protect "vulnerable" children and young adults from harm.

The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA), unveiling proposed reforms to the "code of practice" that governs content provided by local broadcasters, revealed it plans to implement "a watershed period" when no gaming-related advertising can be shown or broadcast in The Bahamas.

Its consultation document did not specify how much of the 24-hour day this "period" will cover, and Stephen Bereaux, URCA's chief executive, could not be reached for comment before press time despite Tribune Business leaving a message with his office.

However, an insight into URCA's thinking can likely be obtained by its reference to the examples of Australia and Kenya, which have barred gambling advertisements between 5am and 8.30pm and 5am and 10pm, respectively. In the case of Australia, the ban covers free-to-air and pay-TV services as well as radio, and applies to live sporting events.

The proposal also refers to the UK, which has "restricted" gambling promotions on channels and programming that is specifically targeted at children and young people.

URCA, noting that the "code of practice" needs to be changed to account for web shop gaming's legalisation in 2014, said the changes would bring the treatment of gambling "in line" with "other comparable activities such as the use of alcohol and tobacco".

However, the regulator then goes a step further by saying that the growing "prevalence" of gaming in Bahamian society requires it to impose regulations that ensure industry advertising does "not target or unduly influence" children, young people and the vulnerable.

"It is widely acknowledged that the media has a powerful effect on the behaviours and attitudes of persons, and that the objective of any advertisement is to capture consumers' attention and encourage the adoption of the message being broadcast," the consultation paper states.

"URCA is of the view that gaming advertisements have the potential to be harmful to vulnerable members of the public, such as children and young persons. For this reason, URCA intends to introduce a watershed period within.... the Code which will have the effect of limiting the exposure of gaming to children and young persons during periods when they are most likely to be part of the audience.

"While URCA acknowledges that gaming licensees are required to implement responsible gaming programmes, URCA notes that the broadcast of gambling and gaming advertisements should not appear in any programming or other broadcast content that is commissioned for - or principally directed at - children and young people, or likely to appeal particularly to them."

The broadcaster likely to be most impacted by URCA's proposal is ILTV, or Island Luck TV, which shares similar ownership with the web shop chain of the same name. Its TV channel, number 224 on Cable Bahamas' REV TV service, relies heavily on gaming-related advertising and promotes an hourly lottery-type draw known as Quik Draw.

The station, which is based by the roundabout at the John F Kennedy (JFK) Drive and Thompson Boulevard junction, is used heavily as a marketing tool to promote the Island Luck web shop chain on a 24-hour, seven days per week, basis. It is also affiliated with The Beat 103.5 FM radio station, which shares the same building as ILTV.

Sebas Bastian, principal of Island Luck and ILTV, said he was unaware of the proposed URCA reforms when contacted by Tribune Business for comment yesterday. "I haven't seen it yet. I can't comment on it until I've read it. I'll definitely look at it further," he said.

URCA, meanwhile, said the implementation of a "watershed period" is "applied as a means to protect vulnerable individuals from the effects of gambling". It added: "As gambling is becoming more prevalent within the Bahamian society, there is a need to ensure that there are regulations which make certain that gambling advertisements do not target or unduly influence children and young persons.

"URCA views the watershed period as an appropriate preventative measure that will avert gambling advertisements from being broadcast during any television and radio time-slot primarily viewed or listened to by children or young persons."

The URCA consultation paper asks respondents to state whether they agree with the introduction of a "watershed period" to "as a safeguard for children and young persons", and to give reasons for their views.

And it also asks whether the "code of practice" should include a provision that "ensures that the marketing and advertising of gambling is socially responsible and not directed at persons under the age of 18".