Peers, experts and campaigners urge Govt to curb gambling ads

The Government must impose stricter controls on gambling advertising, speakers at a summit on gambling reform have urged.

Convened by Peers for Gambling Reform, a group of parliamentarians, academics and campaigners at the event said more should be done to protect people from gambling harms.

In July, The Christian Institute called on Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to prioritise gambling reform for the sake of those exploited by betting companies.

‘Clear and obvious’

Addressing the summit, Sir Iain Duncan Smith highlighted evidence of widespread public support for ending gambling advertising altogether.

Sir Iain called on politicians “to find their way towards the public on this”. He added: “It’s clear and obvious what can be done and what should be done.”

Measures for the new Government to consider, the former Conservative Party leader said, included outlawing betting incentives and restricting gambling advertisements in sport.

Lord Foster, who chairs Peers for Gambling Reform, said Nandy already has the legal power to act “quickly to reform gambling advertising”.

For too long, the public have been bombarded by aggressive and harmful gambling advertisements. This desperately needs to change.

Join us at a Gambling Advertisement Reform Summit on Tuesday 10th September.

Please sign up using the below link👇https://t.co/WgQkO27Kwa

— Peers for Gambling Reform (@pgreform) June 12, 2024

Shocked

The Guardian’s Rob Davies – who served as summit moderator – reported that several campaign groups “called for a pre-9pm ban on betting and casino advertising”.

Davies also reported that while Guy Parker, Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, believes that policymaking is for the Government, the ASA chief has been “shocked” by the amount of gambling advertising he sees.

Responding to the summit, a Government spokesperson said: “Most people gamble without issue, but we recognise the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families and we are absolutely committed to strengthening protections for those at risk.”

Restrictions

Following her appointment as Culture Secretary, the Institute urged Nandy to increase legislative restrictions on gambling marketing across all platforms, to hold the industry to account for the continuing exposure of under-18s to gambling, and to impose a strict limit on online stakes.

Welcoming the Government’s manifesto pledge to reform gambling regulation, Director Ciarán Kelly also warned: “There is too much of the ‘wild west’ about the UK’s current gambling laws. The time to act is now.”

The Institute has been campaigning for gambling reform for more than two decades, including opposing the Gambling Act 2005 that created the current crisis.