Football fans hit with 11,000 gambling ads over Premier League opening weekend

A new study by the University of Bristol and Channel 5 identified 10,999 gambling messages were seen or heard across TV, radio and social media over the course of the opening Premier League weekend.

The study also found that across the six live match broadcasts on Sky Sports and TNT Sports between 11 and 14 August, there were 6,966 gambling messages recorded. 

The study defines gambling messages as the “number of identical messages or references that audiences were exposed to throughout the weekend”.

The research also detailed content marketing as a means of engaging current or potential consumers through “content that may not be specifically related to the promoted brand or product”.

In this vein, researchers established that 92% of the 391 content marketing ads sent by operators were not clearly identifiable as ads, which, in the opinion of the study, breached advertising regulations. 

Of the 10,999 ads, 20.6% included gambling harm reduction messaging, and only 18.7% included age warnings. 

Across the weekend, there was at least one gambling ad during any commercial break on talkSPORT Radio and 600 gambling messages during two hours of Sky Sports News. 

There were also 1,902 gambling ads on social media recorded, which generated 34 million impressions. 

The scope of the study took in 24 hours of match broadcasts, 15 hours of Sky Sports News coverage, 14 hours of talkSPORT, as well as social media scrutiny.

The study noted the 10,999 figure translated to an average of 2,750 gambling messages per day or 115 gambling messages every hour.

Following the findings, the academics raised particular concerns about social media, given the large volume of impressions of the ads over that weekend.

Dr Raffaello Rossi, co-lead researcher and lecturer in marketing at the University of Bristol Business School, said: “Our study highlights a serious issue with social media gambling marketing – especially content marketing. 

“A staggering 92% of content marketing ads are not clearly identifiable as advertising, breaching key advertising regulations. 

“We urgently need to strengthen those regulations to protect consumers, in particular children, who are especially vulnerable to sneaky advertising.

“Our research shows gambling marketing during Premier League weekends is inescapable. Football fans are bombarded with gambling marketing through various channels, making it a normal part of football consumption,” he added.

In response, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to vehemently defend the industry and said the research “misunderstands advertising” and “the way it is regulated”. The BGC also said the statements made by the researchers were either “misleading or incorrect”.

The trade body added: “BGC members already commit 20% of all TV and radio advertising to safer gambling messaging, and announced this month that commitment will be extended to all digital advertising.

“Our members have introduced new age-gating rules for advertising on social media platforms, targeting ads to those aged 25 and over unless a platform can verifiably prove that its age-gating systems can prevent under-18s from accessing gambling advertising content.

“Betting advertising and sponsorship must comply with strict guidelines and safer gambling messaging, which promotes safer gambling tools and signposts help to those concerned about their betting, is regularly and prominently displayed,” it concluded