The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Reform and Peers for Gambling Reform have come up with a set of recommendations. Their recent report discusses how gambling ads affect children and young people. It argues that the existing regulatory structure lacks sufficient protection, particularly on digital platforms where the line between advertisements and entertainment is often blurred.
A Broader Shift Than the White Paper
The measures proposed in the report come together to form a whole package. In particular, it calls for a ban on the following:
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Gambling advertising on TV, radio, social media, and the Internet (covering both paid and unpaid online promotion) in the pre-9pm watershed period;
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Gambling sponsorship in sports;
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Programme sponsorship;
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Content marketing;
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Influencer promotion;
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Gambling branding in video games with a PEGI rating below 18.
This is more aggressive than the stance taken by the government in its 2023 gambling white paper. That document called for a targeted approach to regulating the industry, along with tougher consumer protection measures. The proposed measures included action on harmful bonus practices, but it did not take steps towards limiting most advertising channels.
How Broad the Restrictions Are
In addition to broadcast and sports sponsorship restrictions, the report supports a ban on the promotion of gambling products deemed to cause the most harm. These include slot content available online and in brick-and-mortar casinos. Moreover, the authors advocate against cross-selling between products.
Direct marketing is also included in the list of activities that should be prohibited. In particular, the authors argue against the use of inducements such as free bets, free spins, and bet boosts. According to them, all of the aforementioned proposals can be implemented using existing powers under the Gambling Act 2005.
This argument is further strengthened by official data on youth exposure to gambling promotion. According to the Gambling Commission, in 2024, 69% of young people recalled coming across gambling advertising and marketing. Television was the most frequently mentioned platform at 54%, followed by apps at 52%, social media at 49%, and sporting events at 40%.
Illegal Operators Still Matter
Illegal market advertising is also covered by the study, but it is not the central subject. The authors argue that unlicensed operators should be restricted from advertising in the UK. They draw attention to Stake’s Everton sponsorship deal as a sign of how offshore operators can get exposure.
The report’s authors also advocate for conducting KYC checks throughout the online ad supply chain, which will allow regulators to identify the advertiser and beneficiary of gambling ads. This comes against the background of the government’s February announcement to consult on prohibiting sponsorship deals between British sports clubs and unlicensed gambling operators.
Bottom Line
The significance of this report is that it pushes the UK debate closer to a public-health model of advertising control. Should even part of this proposal be implemented, the impact could reach beyond compliance teams. It might affect the way licensed operators, media owners, clubs, and platforms look at gambling advertising. The ministers might not adopt everything proposed by the APPG, but the trend is now much harder to miss.
