New research by the University of Bristol and Ipsos, commissioned by GambleAware, highlights that Great Britain has some of the most lenient regulations on gambling marketing in Europe.
This comes despite the country leading in research on the harmful effects of gambling advertising, with significantly more studies on the topic than countries such as Italy, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium combined. GambleAware is calling for urgent reforms to protect the public from gambling-related harm.
The report emphasises that restrictions on gambling marketing are increasingly the norm across Europe in response to public health concerns. Many European nations have implemented tighter controls on gambling advertising to protect vulnerable populations, particularly children. In contrast, Great Britain remains an outlier, with few restrictions in place.
Dr Raffaello Rossi, Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Bristol Business School and the report’s author, stated: “Our research shows that Great 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. Great Britain, however, is becoming an outlier with almost no meaningful restrictions.”
GambleAware Calls for Stronger Marketing Controls
Following these findings, GambleAware, the leading charity for gambling harm prevention, is pushing for comprehensive measures to curb gambling marketing. The charity’s recommendations include a pre-watershed ban on broadcast gambling advertisements, stricter online marketing controls, a blanket ban on sports-related gambling advertising, and mandatory health warnings. GambleAware argues that these steps are necessary to safeguard the public, especially younger audiences, from the potential harm of gambling exposure.
Professor Siân Griffiths CBE, public health expert and Chair of GambleAware Trustees, reiterated the need for reform, saying: “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.”
Public and Legislative Support for Regulation Grows
The report notes that Great Britain is notably behind other European countries in implementing gambling marketing restrictions. In Italy, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, significant legislation has been enacted to regulate gambling marketing across various channels, including TV, radio, and online platforms. Meanwhile, Great Britain has yet to adopt any primary legislation specifically regulating gambling advertising, despite strong evidence linking it to increased participation, harm, and the normalisation of gambling as “harmless fun”—particularly among children.
Public sentiment reflects this need for action. GambleAware and Ipsos data from June showed that a majority of the public feels there is too much gambling advertising, with 67% supporting greater restrictions on gambling marketing across both social media (74%) and television (72%). Additionally, a study led by the University of Bristol in September found that Premier League fans were exposed to nearly 30,000 gambling advertisements on the opening weekend of the season, a 165% increase from the previous year.
Political Calls for Urgent Action
Lord Foster of Bath, Chair of Peers for Gambling Reform, emphasised the urgency for stricter regulation, stating: “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.”
According to Lord Foster, the Secretary of State has the power to implement regulations under the Gambling Act 2005, yet current policies remain lenient. He and other advocates call for regulatory updates to adopt a public health approach to gambling, an approach that Peers for Gambling Reform has advocated for over time.
With an estimated £1.5 billion spent annually by gambling operators on advertising and marketing, the debate on reforming gambling marketing regulations continues to gain momentum as organisations like GambleAware urge stronger, more immediate actions to protect the public from preventable harm.
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