UK ministers face pressure to limit gambling ads as public calls for stricter rules increase
UK government ministers are facing growing calls to tighten gambling advertising regulations following a new public poll showing strong support for stricter controls. The Campaign to End Gambling Advertising — backed by data from the think‑tank More in Common — found that 70% of respondents want tighter rules on gambling ads, with 27% supporting an outright ban on gambling marketing. Concerns are particularly focused on the exposure of children to online and broadcast promotions
Despite existing measures like the voluntary “whistle‑to‑whistle” ban on ads during some live sports broadcasts, activists and politicians argue that current safeguards are inadequate. Figures such as Iain Duncan Smith and Beccy Cooper have urged lawmakers to go further, especially around social media advertising and gaming platforms where young people spend significant time.
The gambling industry, represented by the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC), insists that advertising is already “tightly regulated,” and claims there is no clear evidence that current ads directly increase problem gambling. Nonetheless, public sentiment appears to favor reducing the prevalence of gambling marketing, with nearly half of those surveyed backing a scaled‑back sector overall.
Campaigners have called for urgent legislative action to protect vulnerable groups and reduce the normalization of betting culture — particularly during prime‑time sports coverage and on digital platforms where targeted marketing is most prevalent.
