Key facts
- A UK House of Lords liaison committee report recommends a near-total ban on gambling advertising.
- The report cites concerns over increased harm from digital advertising and social media influencers.
- Up to 1.4 million people in Great Britain have a gambling problem, with £12.6bn won by the industry last year.
- The proposed ban would exclude lotteries and racecourses, aiming to reduce financial ruin, relationship breakdown, and suicide.
- The Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) opposes the ban, arguing it would empower the illicit market.
- The report suggests a ban could lead to long-term economic benefits by redirecting gambling expenditure.
A cross-party group of peers in the UK has called for a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising, drawing parallels to tobacco regulations, to address public health concerns. The 173-page report from the House of Lords liaison committee argues that the government has been too slow to act against the surge in digital advertising and social media promotions within the gambling sector.
Official statistics indicate that British bookmakers, casinos, and slot machine venues generated £12.6 billion last year, while an estimated 1.4 million individuals struggle with gambling problems. The report posits that a blanket advertising ban, with specific exemptions for the lottery and racecourses, would be the most effective measure to mitigate harms such as financial ruin, damaged relationships, and even suicide. While acknowledging that such a policy might lead to a contraction of the UK's gambling industry, the report suggests it could yield long-term economic benefits by redirecting consumer spending into other areas of the economy.
The Betting & Gaming Council (BGC), the industry's lobby group, has strongly criticized the report, labeling it "deeply misguided." The BGC contends that a ban would inadvertently bolster the illicit market, which would continue to advertise without restrictions, potentially increasing harm. Lord Foster, one of the report's authors, acknowledged the concern regarding the illicit market, noting regulatory efforts to combat rogue sites, but emphasized that this should not detract from addressing the harms caused by the legal gambling industry, citing substantial evidence linking advertising to negative outcomes.
Gambling advertising in the UK was significantly liberalized following the 2005 Gambling Act, introduced by Tony Blair's government, which aimed to regulate the sector while fostering its growth as a leisure activity. Prior to this act, advertising was largely restricted to lotteries, the football pools, and bingo. Since then, the volume of gambling advertisements has dramatically increased, with estimated annual industry spending reaching £2 billion in 2024. In contrast to the 2005 act's approach, figures like Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, have been vocal critics, advocating for greater local control over betting shop openings and expressing a desire to end gambling sponsorship in sports.
The BGC highlighted voluntary industry measures, such as a "whistle to whistle" ban on advertising during televised sports fixtures. The trade body also estimates that a significant portion of current gambling advertising expenditure originates from the rapidly expanding illicit market, which operates outside the regulatory framework applied to licensed operators. Grainne Hurst, the BGC's chief executive, stated that a blanket advertising ban would disadvantage licensed operators without curbing illegal advertising. The Guardian newspaper announced in 2024 that it would no longer accept advertising from gambling companies, with the exception of the National Lottery.