A loophole is allowing Australian fans of the English Premier League to be bombarded with betting ads for offshore gambling companies that would otherwise be banned from screens, according to a complaint to the media watchdog.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) is investigating a complaint against Optus Sport by gambling researcher and investigative journalist Jack Kerr, who alleges gambling ads featured in every single minute of a Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester City broadcast in December.

Optus Sport has been broadcasting EPL games in Australia since 2016 and the company recently spent about $600m to retain the lucrative rights until the 2027-28 season. The streaming service has more than 1 million subscribers in Australia.

There is no suggestion the gambling companies advertising their products or the Premier League clubs are accused of breaking any laws by using the loophole.

In his complaint, Kerr wrote that “interactive gambling companies are one of the most frequently seen products on these pitch-side billboards” and said the clubs “typically show ads for multiple betting companies throughout a match”. The pitch-side advertising boards are controlled by the clubs and can be tailored for different markets.

The Interactive Gambling Act prohibits offshore gambling companies from offering bets to people based in Australia and bans the promotion of their services. But an exemption is offered if an ad is “an accidental or incidental accompaniment to the publication of other matter”.

“These ads are neither incidental nor accidental,” the complaint said. “Their prominence clearly demonstrates this. Doubledecker digital billboards that wrap around the venue and which promote a product that Australians can access cannot be considered as ‘incidental’; they are there to grab viewers’ attention and lure them in.”

One of the gambling companies routinely advertised during Manchester City home games was targeted by Acma in 2022 for providing an unlicensed service to Australians. 8XBet recently signed a commercial partnership to become Manchester City’s official wagering partner in Asia.

“Although 8XBet is not on the Acma blacklist and no longer accepts Australian customers, it should still be considered a ‘prohibited interactive gambling service’ or an illegal service under the Interactive Gambling Act, as it is an online gambling service that does not have an Australian licence,” the complaint said.

An Acma spokesperson said the agency was “considering the information provided, including the context in which the content was alleged to have occurred”.

“Acma has previously investigated the 8XBet service and found it in breach of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. Consequently, the 8Xbet service has withdrawn from the Australian market,” the spokesperson said.

An Optus spokesperson said the company “complies with the relevant Australian laws in its coverage of all rights and content. Australian gambling advertising laws contain exemptions for pitch-side advertising”.

“It is standard in sports rights agreements to be required to transmit the original feeds in full, without editing, and Optus Sport’s arrangements are no different,” the spokesperson said. “Optus Sport is prohibited by the rights owners from replacing any pitch-side ads using virtual advertising or otherwise.”

Gambling companies are attracted to the EPL due to its huge global reach, which allows them to boost their brand recognition. The league is broadcast to an estimated 800m homes in almost 190 countries. It also has a huge following in Asia, which is also an emerging market for online gambling worth billions of dollars.

Kerr’s complaint also cites examples including the gambling company W88, which promotes itself online as “a famous online casino and sports betting destination for Australians”, despite not being licensed in Australia. The company’s logo is promoted at Burnley home games.

Other examples include Parimatch and Kaiyun advertising at Chelsea home games, 6686 ads at Wolverhampton Wanderers home games and ads from the gambling company BK8, which is an official partner of Aston Villa.

Last year, Premier League clubs agreed to ban match-day front-of-shirt sponsorship deals with gambling companies from the summer of 2026.

Eight of the 20 clubs have betting companies as front-of-shirt sponsors. The collective value of those contracts is about £60m (A$116m) a year. Aston Villa and Wolverhampton wear betting-related sleeve adverts.