Pressure is mounting on the UK Labour government as it faces a pivotal decision: whether to prioritise public welfare or continue allowing widespread promotion of gambling in British sport.
In a report by The Guardian, Labour ministers are under increasing pressure to implement stricter regulations on gambling advertising, especially concerning its relationship with sports. This push is driven by various campaigners, MPs, and sports figures, all urging the current government to overturn the previous administration’s decision not to tighten gambling ad controls. The debate centres on the widespread promotion of gambling, which, in the view of many, targets vulnerable groups, including children.
At a summit near the Houses of Parliament, experts emphasised the urgent need for stricter gambling marketing controls. Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith highlighted public support for a total ban on gambling advertisements, though he stopped short of endorsing it. He urged the government to restrict gambling incentives like “free” bets and limit the exposure of betting ads in sports, such as through sponsorship deals on football kits and stadium advertising.
Premier League clubs, in a voluntary move, have agreed to remove betting sponsors from the front of their shirts by the end of the 2024 season. However, this measure does not cover other ad placements like hoardings or lower-tier football leagues. Mark Palios, former CEO of the Football Association and chair of Tranmere Rovers, criticised this half-hearted approach, arguing that children supporting lower league clubs deserve equal protection from gambling advertisements.
Palios’ Tranmere Rovers is one of 40 football clubs backing The Big Step campaign, which advocates for a complete rejection of betting sponsors. Furthermore, in a 2022 exposé by The Guardian, it was revealed that English Football League clubs were profiting from gamblers’ losses, underlining the deeply entrenched nature of gambling within football.
Call for stricter gambling ad regulations
Campaigners are also pushing for a ban on gambling ads before 9pm., a policy supported by GambleAware, a leading UK charity. New figures from the Gambling Commission suggest the problem of gambling harm could be far greater than previously estimated, with up to 2.5 percent of British adults affected.
At the summit, Liberal Democrat peer Lord Foster criticised the previous government’s failure to address gambling advertising in their 2023 regulatory reforms. Although the white paper included new measures, such as a £5 cap on slot machine bets and affordability checks, it avoided tackling advertising, allegedly due to a lack of evidence linking ads directly to gambling harms.
However, the report quotes experts like Dr. Heather Wardle from the University of Glasgow who argues that absolute proof of harm from gambling ads is not required for action. She compared the current situation to tobacco advertising, where bans were enforced based on observed societal impacts rather than conclusive scientific evidence.
Football commentator Clive Tyldesley added his voice to the debate, revealing that he left his role at TalkSport due to the station’s promotion of sports gambling during broadcasts. Meanwhile, Guy Parker, CEO of the Advertising Standards Authority, admitted to being shocked by the prevalence of gambling ads but emphasised that the responsibility for policymaking lies with the government.
In contrast, the Betting & Gaming Council defended its collaboration with sports teams, highlighting their efforts to promote safer gambling messages and limit the appeal of ads to children. However, critics argue that despite voluntary measures like the “whistle to whistle” ban during live sports broadcasts, betting logos can still appear thousands of times in a single Premier League match, undermining these efforts.
Rob Davies, who authored The Guardian report on , also served as a moderator at the Westminster Gambling Summit, guiding discussions on the urgent need for stricter regulations on gambling advertising.
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