"UK ministers are facing renewed pressure to tighten restrictions on gambling advertising, after new polling revealed strong public support for a far tougher approach to promotions and sponsorship. Gambling regulation has been the subject of increasingly heated debate in recent years, with governments introducing tighter controls on online slots, higher industry taxes and a statutory levy to fund addiction treatment. However, advertising rules have remained largely untouched, despite the scale of promotional activity rising sharply since market deregulation in 2005."
"The research, published in a report titled Ending A Losing Streak, found that 70% of respondents support stronger curbs on gambling advertising and sponsorship, while more than a quarter believe gambling firms should not be allowed to advertise at all. In a foreword to the report, former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith said tougher regulation would be both politically viable and widely supported."
"Labour MPs have also stepped up calls for reform. Beccy Cooper said existing advertising rules were no longer fit for purpose, arguing that promotions now "saturate television, social media and influencer marketing", exposing children and young people as a matter of course. Despite stricter regulation elsewhere, gambling advertising has so far avoided major legislative intervention. In 2019, operators agreed a voluntary "whistle-to-whistle" ban on advertising during live sports broadcasts before 9pm, alongside a commitme"
Polling shows 70% of respondents support stronger curbs on gambling advertising and sponsorship, and over a quarter want a complete ban on gambling advertising. Governments have tightened regulation in other areas, including controls on online slots, higher industry taxes and a statutory levy to fund addiction treatment. Advertising rules have not seen major legislative change despite promotional activity rising sharply since market deregulation in 2005. Calls for reform have intensified across political lines amid concerns that promotions saturate television, social media and influencer channels and routinely expose children and young people. Operators implemented a voluntary 'whistle-to-whistle' ban before 9pm in 2019, but advertising remains largely governed by industry commitments rather than stricter legislation.
Read at Business Matters
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]