A once-in-a-generation chance to change what we watch

Every weekend, families sit down for sport on free-to-air television and find themselves swimming through alcohol promotions. Australia’s alcohol advertising regulation has long allowed this to happen, and most people assume nothing will change. Right now, something actually might.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has opened a public consultation on commercial free-to-air television. Submissions are open from community members, health organisations, and industry groups until 5:00pm on Thursday, 30 April 2026.

How the push for stronger alcohol advertising rules began

The current review did not come out of nowhere. In June 2025, the ACMA knocked back a proposal from commercial broadcasters, operating under the industry body Free TV, that would have pushed alcohol advertising on television up by roughly 800 hours per year.

The regulator found that those changes would not protect communities adequately. It was particularly concerned about the extended hours pushing alcohol promotions into times when children are more likely to watch. That decision left the existing Commercial TV Industry Code of Practice in place. But the existing code has real gaps.

The sports loophole at the heart of alcohol advertising regulation

The code restricts alcohol advertising during children’s viewing hours. There is, however, a notable carve-out: live sporting events on weekends and public holidays sit outside those restrictions, no matter when they air.

Nobody has convincingly explained why sport gets treated differently. Children watch sport with their families constantly. The exemption hands alcohol brands a prime window to reach young audiences every single weekend.

The evidence on this is not comforting. Research shows children exposed to alcohol advertising at a younger age start drinking earlier and go on to drink at riskier levels. A study found that 70 per cent of Australian children aged 15 to 17 recalled seeing alcohol ads in the previous month.

The link between sport and domestic violence sits alongside this. During State of Origin broadcasts, one study found a 40 per cent rise in domestic assaults reported to police in New South Wales. The Federal Government’s Rapid Review on preventing family and domestic violence has specifically called for restrictions on alcohol advertising during sporting events.

What the alcohol advertising review is actually asking

The ACMA now wants to know whether the existing alcohol advertising regulation in the Free TV Code are fit for purpose. If they are not, the regulator could establish a program standard, a legally binding instrument sitting entirely outside industry control.

That distinction carries weight. The television industry currently develops, monitors, and administers its own code under a so-called co-regulatory arrangement. The broadcasters who profit from alcohol advertising write the rules that govern it. Many community and health advocates argue this is a structural problem that cannot fix itself.

A program standard would change that. The ACMA would write it, and it would become a mandatory condition of free-to-air broadcasting licences. Breaching it would carry genuine consequences, making it far harder for broadcasters to look the other way.

What the alcohol advertising rules review covers

The review examines several areas, including the volume, frequency, and placement of alcohol promotions across both sporting and non-sporting broadcasts. It also looks at evidence linking advertising exposure to drinking behaviour and broader social harm, as well as the economic role alcohol advertising plays in supporting commercial broadcasters.

The review does not cover the creative content of alcohol advertisements or restrictions already governed by other industry codes.

Why the community needs to speak up now

Nine in ten Australians expressed concern when proposals to add 800 hours of additional alcohol advertising to television surfaced publicly. That is a striking number. It has not translated into stronger protection.

The current code reflects industry priorities because the industry writes it. A program standard would reflect community priorities because the regulator would write it. That is the choice sitting before the ACMA right now, and public submissions will directly shape whether it acts.

For anyone working with families affected by alcohol harm, for parents who have grown tired of muting the television during half-time, or for those who simply think broadcasters should not police themselves, this is a direct line to the people making the decision.

Source: fare