Fresh call for 'urgent' crackdown on betting advertising

The Government is being pressed to take “urgent action” to protect the public – especially children – from gambling harms, amid claims Britain has some of the most lenient advertising rules in Europe, despite a huge dossier of evidence on betting’s negative effects.

According to a new analysis, commissioned by GambleAware and carried out by the University of Bristol and Ipsos, bans on gambling marketing across Europe are increasingly becoming the norm in response to public health concerns, especially around children; countries including Italy, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium have far tougher regimes.

GambleAware is now calling for a pre-watershed ban on broadcast ads, restrictions on gambling content and marketing online, a blanket ban across sports, and mandatory health warnings.

It also identified almost 500 published research papers over the past decade from British universities, including specialist gambling units at academic institutions such as Bristol, Bournemouth, and Glasgow.

Despite this totalling more research than Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium combined, there is no primary legislation in place to regulate gambling marketing including on TV, radio, online and in sport.

GambleAware insists there is strong evidence to show gambling advertising increases participation and therefore risk; exacerbates harm; and normalises gambling as just a bit of ‘harmless fun’, particularly among children.

Public health expert and chair of GambleAware Trustees Professor Siân Griffiths CBE said: “We have previously highlighted that the lack of gambling advertising and marketing regulation in this country is a missed opportunity. It is important we remember that gambling can be addictive and gambling harms need to be recognised as a public health issue that can affect anyone.

“We have long been concerned about the impact gambling ads and marketing can have on children and young people. This is why urgent action is needed to protect the next generation from experiencing harm.”

Latest estimates from 2017 suggest gambling operators spend around £1.5bn a year on advertising and marketing. Research, led by the University of Bristol in September, also showed Premier League fans were subjected to nearly 30,000 gambling messages on this season’s opening weekend – a 165% increase on the year before.

The increase comes despite clear public support to take action In June, GambleAware and Ipsos revealed that the overwhelming majority (67%) of consumers say there is currently too much advertising about gambling, and even more support tougher regulations on both social media (74%) and TV (72%).

Lord Foster of Bath, who is chair of Peers for Gambling Reform, said: “Every day we are bombarded by gambling advertising, marketing and sponsorship on TV, radio and online. There is huge public support to curb it and there’s a wealth of research showing the harm it causes. But we remain woefully behind the curve in terms of the regulation needed to protect individuals from harm.

“Crucially, the power to regulate key aspects of this – such as gambling advertising – is already within the gift of the Secretary of State as set out in the Gambling Act 2005. Our current regulations are too lenient and fail to advance the much-needed public health approach to gambling that Peers for Gambling Reform has long called for.”

Dr Raffaello Rossi, Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Bristol Business School, and report author, added: “Our research shows that Britain has the strongest evidence of gambling marketing’s harms but some of Europe’s fewest restrictions. This suggests the lack of tight restrictions isn’t due to insufficient evidence but rather a lack of political will.

“Across Europe, bans on gambling marketing are increasingly the norm, seen as necessary to protect the public. Britain, however, is becoming an outlier with almost no meaningful restrictions. The evidence is clear – policymakers must act urgently to protect millions from preventable harm.”