Parliamentary Groups Call for Stricter UK Advertising Restrictions

Groups connected to the House of Lords and House of Commons have published a report calling for a series of stricter gambling advertising regulations in the UK, including a ban on gambling advertising before the 9pm watershed and an end to all gambling sponsorship in sport.

Peers for Gambling Reform, which was established to implement the recommendations of the House of Lords, and the Gambling Reform All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), which counts several MPs among its members, have published a report on the matter which they say has been “insufficiently addressed by successive governments.”

With regards to the proposed ban on gambling sponsorship in sport, the report recommends a specific carveout for horseracing and greyhound racing, due to both sports’ reliance on gambling sponsorship income, as well as a ban on gambling sponsorship of TV and radio programmes.

According to the report, an effective end to content marketing and influencer-led promotion should also be implemented, where the authors allege advertising is often indistinguishable from content. Gambling advertising in children’s video games and youth-oriented digital environments would be banned, as would advertising of high-risk products including online slots.

The groups said they want to see stronger action to prevent unlicensed operators reaching UK consumers, with the introduction of know your customer requirements across the digital advertising supply chain.

“Gambling is normalised”

Lord Foster of Bath, Chair of Peers for Gambling Reform, said:

“For too long, the balance has been tilted in favour of permissive advertising rather than effective protection. The sheer volume and sophistication of gambling marketing, particularly online, means that children and those suffering harm are being exposed in ways that existing regulations simply do not address.”

Alex Ballinger MP, Co-Chair of the Gambling Reform APPG, said: “Children today are growing up in an environment where gambling is normalised at every turn, on their screens, in sport, and across social media. The evidence is clear that early exposure increases the risk of harm later in life.”

Self-regulation

Up to this point, the issue has been primarily addressed by self-regulation from operators. In 2019, operators who were part of the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling imposed a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling adverts being shown during live sporting events prior to the 9pm watershed.

Industry body the Betting and Gaming Council claimed this led to a 97% reduction in the number of TV betting adverts in its first year in operation.

From the start of the 2026/27 season in August, betting operators will be banned from sponsoring kits worn by English Premier League football teams.

This is a self-imposed ban from the teams themselves, so is not exactly self-regulation from the gambling industry. Operators will still be able to have sponsorships/partnerships in place with Premier League teams, but cannot have their name emblazoned on the front of teams’ kits.

White Paper light touch

Gambling advertising and marketing was mentioned in the government’s 2023 Gambling White Paper, although it was an area of the industry which remained broadly untouched.

The White Paper proposed more than 60 reforms related to gambling in the UK, with some already being implemented, such as improved identification checks, a statutory levy, and a cap on the maximum stakes on online slots at £5 for older adults and £2 for younger adults.

While advertising and marketing was included in the White Paper, the proposals have widely been seen as light touch, as they did not mention specific curbs or restrictions to how operators market themselves.