A new report commissioned by GambleAware indicates that despite the UK having more research on the negative impacts of gambling marketing than several other countries combined, it still lags behind most of Europe in regulating gambling marketing.
However, these findings often contradict the results of industry regulatory bodies, who frequently praise the UK and consider it far ahead of other regions in this field.
The study, conducted by the University of Bristol and Ipsos, found that as governments respond to public health concerns and the normalization of gambling among youth, banning gambling advertisements is increasingly becoming the norm across Europe.
Yet, the UK has no major legislation to regulate gambling marketing in television, broadcasting, online, and sports sectors.
The report shows public support for change, with the majority of Britons stating there are too many gambling ads (67%), and supporting stricter regulations on social media (74%) and television (72%).
Therefore, GambleAware is calling for a series of policy changes, including a pre-watershed ban on broadcast advertising, restrictions on online gambling content and marketing, and a comprehensive ban on sports events.
The charity also believes that without broader restrictions, all gambling marketing must mandatorily carry health warnings.
In response to these findings, public health expert and Chair of Trustees at GambleAware, Professor Siân Griffiths CBE, stated: "We have previously emphasized that the lack of regulation on gambling advertising and marketing in this country is a missed opportunity.
"We must remember that gambling can be addictive, and gambling harm needs to be seen as a public health issue that could affect anyone."
GambleAware CEO Zoë Osmond added: "We look forward to the new government's upcoming statutory levy, which will provide much-needed clarity for the future system addressing gambling harms and important funding for prevention measures.
"But we must not forget, the bombardment of gambling marketing in this country is a major reason why people need advice, support, or treatment.
"The changes we propose are fair and reasonable, but crucially, they will have a significant impact—gambling harm can affect anyone, and we must do everything possible to protect people from gambling harms."
