GambleAware: Two-thirds of Brits believe there are too many betting ads

GambleAware has urged the next government to ban betting advertising at both sports events and on pre-watershed television following new data claiming the public’s aversion to the industry’s marketing efforts.

The gambling charity claimed that the general public are strongly in favour of a reduction in gambling advertisement, as shown by a survey the group conducted.

The study found 67% of people in Great Britain believe there is too much gambling advertisement both on television and at sporting fixtures, particularly football.

As per GambleAware, these types of adverts pose a higher risk to problem gamblers, who are nearly 40 times more likely to bet after seeing one an ad than the rest of the general public.

With Euro 2024 and Copa América both well underway and the Paris Olympics edging closer, GambleAware also pointed to the most recent Football Supporters Association report, released in August 2023, to support its claims.

That report suggested 73% of football fans in the UK are concerned about the amount of gambling advertising and sponsorship around football.

That number has increased from similar research conducted ahead of the 2022 World Cup by Opinium, which revealed that 64% of fans felt gambling advertisement was too prominent in football, while 61% claimed there were too many gambling adverts during international sports tournaments.

The government’s white paper into the Gambling Act 2005 review detailed a number of plans towards stricter regulation, but the rules surrounding betting advertisements were hardly changed at all, much to the frustration of GambleAware.

The charity’s most recent report, entitled Gambling marketing in Great Britain: What needs to change and why, has made three notable recommendations regarding regulation surrounding gambling advertisement following the latest survey.

The study claims that the current whistle-to-whistle ban only covers 2% of gambling references in football, meaning “government intervention is required to make a real change”.

That includes a ban on all gambling promotion at sporting events, as well as removing gambling sponsorship from sports merchandise.

Clubs in the Premier League, English football’s top tier, have voluntarily agreed to remove gambling companies as front-of-shirt sponsors from 2026, but gambling advertisement on pitchside hoardings and shirt sleeves is expected to remain.

The rest of the English football pyramid remains free to have gambling companies as front-of-shirt sponsors, while the Championship, League One and League Two all boast Sky Bet as the division’s main sponsor.

Secondly, GambleAware hopes to see a pre-watershed ban enforced on all broadcast gambling adverts on TV, video on demand and radio. 

The third recommendation is for all gambling advertisement to include independent evidence-led health warnings with effective signposting to support. 

GambleAware CEO Zoe Osmond said: “Millions of people across the country have been coming together this summer, excited to watch the Euros. However, our research shows that most of them feel there is too much gambling advertising in the media and around football.  

“Exposure to gambling advertising normalises gambling, and makes it seem like just ‘harmless fun’ without showing the risks of gambling addiction and harm.

“This is why we have published our new report, to call on the next government to do more to regulate gambling advertising, particularly around sport where children and young people can see it.”

David Rose, deputy chief executive for the Footballer Supporters’ Association added: “Our survey data shows a large majority of fans are concerned about the prevalence of gambling advertising around football, whether that’s shirt sponsors, pitchside hoardings or on TV coverage. 

“Our partnership with GambleAware helps us to highlight those concerns, and allows us to show supporters where they can get help if they feel like their gambling has become a problem.”