Gambling firms agree whistle-to-whistle ad ban
Firms including bet365, Ladbrokes, PPB and William Hill sign up to voluntary agreement still to be finalised by RGA
Bookmakers including bet365, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) and William Hill have reportedly agreed to implement a “whistle-to-whistle” ban on gambling advertising.
The ban, which is still to be finalised by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG), is reportedly set to include any sporting event which starts prior to the traditional 9pm watershed but ends after that time, according to BBC News.
The ban will apply to all sports, with the exception of horseracing, and could be implemented as early as 2019.
The RGA confirmed it was in talks with its members over a potential ban earlier this month. RGA CEO Clive Hawkswood told EGR Intel this morning that while socially responsible advertising is still under review, nothing has yet been finalised.
Last month, UK media giant Sky TV also said it would introduce a “one ad per commercial break” limit on gambling ads from August 2019.
A few thoughts on mooted move by gambling companies to self-restrict themselves from advertising around live sport.
— Brendan Tinnelly
(@brendangered) December 6, 2018
A similar “whistle-to-whistle” ban was proposed by the Labour party earlier this year following public concerns about the proliferation of gambling ads, most notably during the FIFA World Cup, when British viewers were exposed to 117 advertisements for gambling companies during the tournament.
Bosses at Paddy Power Betfair, GVC and bet365 have also publicly endorsed a potential ban on gambling ads over the last few months, but ratification is needed from the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG) before the ban can officially be implemented.