Lord Foster of Bath criticized the lack of stricter measures against gambling advertising in the UK. During an internal debate on the impact of advertising, marketing and sponsorship of gambling on problem gambling, Foster warned of the gap in the 2005 Law, which made advertising in the sector more flexible.
While praising the inclusion of some of his “Peers for Gambling Reform” group’s recommendations in last year’s gaming White Paper, Foster lamented that the document “proposes very little about advertising reforms” in the sector.
According to him, the focus should be on the growing volume of advertisements on social media, which now hosts “more than 1 million gambling advertisements per year”.
Impact on children, evidence and measures on gaming in the UK
Citing an article in The Observer newspaper about children being “bombarded by gambling adverts”, Foster highlighted concerns about the negative influence of advertising on young people.
He also mentioned an advert shown on the Transport for London network which claims “your carriage is now a casino”, despite a proposed ban on gambling adverts in the TFL.
In response, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay stated that the review of the Gambling Act promoted “a thorough analysis of the best available evidence on the impacts of gambling advertising”.
He said the government believes the advertising reforms are part of a “balanced package of broader industry reforms”.
Parkinson acknowledged the growth of gaming advertisements, however, argued that this had not led to an increase in participation rates or rates of problem gambling. Thus, the numbers remain “broadly stable.”
Lack of consensus and ongoing debates
Despite Parkinson’s evidence, Foster reiterated the need for stricter measures, declaring that “the majority of the public, including Conservative voters, want a crackdown on betting advertising”.
He noted that local authorities are taking action on their own, with “more than 80 councils” restricting advertising in their territories. In sport, 30 football clubs joined the Big Step campaign to end this type of advertising.
Therefore, the debate over gambling advertising in the UK remains heated, with strong arguments on both sides.
