The body behind the UK advertising code must ban celebrities and sportsmen from betting and gaming ads. The Advertising Practice Committee (CAP) launched a public consultation on the new measures aimed at ending the marketing aimed at minors under 18 years of age.
Current rules indicate that ads are only banned if they are likely to attract more people under 18 than adults. But according to the proposed changes, ads will be banned if they attract young audiences, regardless of how they may be perceived by adults.
The new measures would have a significant impact on the realization of advertisements that feature reality TV stars and sports personalities, such as soccer coaches José Mourinho and Harry Redknapp.
Gambling and betting ads are currently prohibited from running on any medium where more than 25% of the public is under 18, a measure deemed appropriate by the CAP.
Despite increasing pressure from various groups to completely eradicate advertising from the UK betting industry, the CAP said there is no justification for such a ban.
However, the agency believes that celebrities should be removed from ads as soon as possible. “For example, introducing the English football captain in a betting advertisement would be prohibited under this new rule,” said the CAP.
About the UK Advertising Practice Committee
The Advertising Practice Committee is the UK organization responsible for the UK’s Non-Broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion and Marketing Code, which is the primary code of practice for self-regulation in the local advertising industry.
In addition, this is the organization allied and managed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The Committee’s work to regulate advertising began with the Advertising Association (AA) in 1960, after the advent of commercial television in the country, which at the time was an incredibly controversial concept.
