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GambleAware is calling on the UK government to more strictly regulate gambling advertising after new research showed that gambling ads are still deeply unpopular with the general public.
England’s last-ditch escape against Slovakia on Sunday (June 230) in the ongoing football European Championships all but guarantees that viewership for the remainder of the contest will be high in the UK, but there is evidence that the prevalence of gambling ads around the tournament is stoking public discontent with the industry.
According to new research conducted by Ipsos MORI and funded by GambleAware, more than 70 percent of the general public agree there should be more restrictions placed on gambling advertising.
Around two-thirds (67 percent) of those surveyed agreed there is currently too much advertising for gambling and 66 percent say they are concerned about how the volume of gambling ads affects children.
There is also growing concern about the role gambling marketing plays in encouraging relapse among those suffering from addiction.
Almost 80 percent of those surveyed who identified as experiencing “problem gambling” said that they have taken a “gambling-related action” after seeing an advertisement.
Ipsos MORI estimates that those scoring eight or higher on the Problem Gambling Severity Index are 40 times more likely to spend more time or money on gambling as a result of marketing, compared with those who score zero.
“Millions of people across the country have been coming together this summer, excited to watch the Euros. However, our research shows that most of them feel there is too much gambling advertising in the media and around football,” said Zoë Osmond, chief executive of GambleAware.
The charity is calling on the government to introduce a ban on gambling marketing at all sports events and for a pre-watershed ban on all broadcast gambling ads on TV, streaming and radio.
All gambling marketing should also include “independent evidence-led health warnings”, GambleAware said.
“Exposure to gambling advertising normalises gambling, and makes it seem like just ‘harmless fun’ without showing the risks of gambling addiction and harm. This is why we have published our new report, to call on the next government to do more to regulate gambling advertising, particularly around sport where children and young people can see it,” said Osmond.
The UK will go to the polls on July 4 to elect a new government, with the Labour Party predicted to secure a landslide victory after 14 years of Conservative governments.
Whichever new administration ends up taking power, it will be tasked with the unfinished elements of the gambling reform white paper, which include creating a gambling ombudsman, introducing a safer gambling levy and deciding the fate of controversial affordability checks.
That the white paper had little to say about gambling advertising proved immediately controversial with campaigners in 2023, with politicians continuing to call for tougher rules.
In line with the white paper, teams in the Premier League have agreed to voluntarily ban gambling shirt-front sponsors from Summer 2026. However, gambling branding will still be permitted elsewhere on matchday shirts, on pitchside hoardings and in many other areas.
In announcing the new data, GambleAware also pointed to a survey conducted by the Football Supporters’ Association in August last year, which found that 73 percent of fans were concerned about the volume of gambling ads they see around the game and that 66 percent believe gambling sponsorships should be banned outright.
"Our survey data shows a large majority of fans are concerned about the prevalence of gambling advertising around football, whether that’s shirt sponsors, pitchside hoardings or on TV coverage. Our partnership with GambleAware helps us to highlight those concerns, and allows us to show supporters where they can get help if they feel like their gambling has become a problem," said David Rose, the deputy chief executive of the Football Supporters' Association.
