Australia’s biggest sports betting company, Sportsbet, has stopped offering odds on events like the Grammys, Australian Survivor, and the Triple J Hottest 100.
This move comes as the company faces a government investigation in South Australia and new restrictions on advertising.
Sportsbet didn’t give a clear reason for the decision, with a spokesperson saying, “Sportsbet is not currently offering any novelty markets at the discretion of our trading teams. These markets may become available soon.” The company licenses through the Northern Territory, which has rules for novelty markets, but no breaches have been reported there. Instead, attention has shifted to South Australia, where authorities are investigating Sportsbet, though details remain unclear.
Last year, Sportsbet sparked controversy by advertising novelty bets during Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance on TikTok. This investigation and growing scrutiny come as the federal government considers stricter advertising regulations for sports betting companies.
A report from 2018 found that novelty betting is more popular among younger people, who are also more likely to face gambling problems. Sportsbet, which controls about 45% of Australia’s online gambling market, has paused all novelty markets for the past three weeks, with no odds being offered since early August. While the company previously covered events like the Oscars, WWE matches, and predictions for the next James Bond, its last novelty blog post was published in March this year.
