Betting & Gaming Council Push for Stronger Advertising Codes

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Stronger Advertising Codes Key Takeaways

Advocacy for stronger advertising codes

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) is campaigning for stricter advertising codes to reduce exposure.

Exposure to young audience concerning

UKGC study points out young audiences exposed to online gambling ads, highlighting growing concerns over lax regulations.

Responsible Gambling is a focal point

These proposals correlate with wider efforts promoting responsible gambling and harm reduction for vulnerable demographics.

Governments and regulators in the UK have been urged to think more about their duties and how the ads may impact young people, and Safer Gambling Week provided the perfect opportunity to consider this. Across Europe, numerous countries have much closer guidelines. Italy has introduced a ban on gambling ads across all platforms, but in the UK, £1.5 billion is being spent annually on marketing gambling games.

The Gambling Act – Fit For Purpose?

The Gambling Act of 2005 is the main regulation in the country that deals with gambling and its advertising, but this has been accused of being not fit for purpose and vulnerable, leaving young people at risk.

The UK government has started a review of the Gambling Act which will help to ensure it is fit for the digital age that we live in. The new review will collaborate with industry and potentially reform some of the guidance and laws to prevent more people from experiencing gambling problems. The government has proposed measures to ban advertising on club shirts in the Premier League, for instance – this is one way that a lot of young people are exposed to the gambling brands on the market.

A New Approach?

Alex Hussain

He/ Him

Online Gambling Journalist

675 Articles

A 2023 study published by GambleAware explained that advertising is contributing to increased numbers of people with gambling problems. All of the research backs up the link between increased gambling ads and increased risk. Some of the young people surveyed even said that seeing the ads made them consider gambling more seriously as an option.

Safer Gambling Week is an opportunity to look at the framework we have in place and nudge the decision-makers, but there is also a due diligence and process involved in making changes to regulatory frameworks that have existed for decades. Protection of the UK’s citizens has to be the top priority for whatever approach is taken going forward.

Alex is an expert in the field who writes on various subjects relating to online gaming, and he has been doing so for the last 9 years. Alex makes sure that readers have access to thorough and informative news coverage, addressing topics from the most recent developments to the latest trends in the casino industry.