A cross-party group of UK parliamentarians has called for wide-ranging restrictions on gambling advertising, warning that current rules have failed to protect children and vulnerable people from harm.
In a new report, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Reform (APPG) and Peers for Gambling Reform argue that the scale of gambling promotion has reached unprecedented levels, with the industry spending between £1.5 billion and £2 billion ($2 billion and $2.7 billion) annually on advertising, marketing and sponsorship.
The report states that advertising is “fundamental to its commercial model and continued growth,” adding that exposure is not merely background noise but “a persistent and damaging influence” for those trying to reduce or stop gambling.
It says reform has been too slow and overly reliant on voluntary measures, inconsistently applied.
Report highlights risks from digital platforms and sport
The report places particular emphasis on the exposure of children and young people, describing current safeguards as insufficient across television, online platforms and sporting environments.
It cites research showing that 79 per cent of children recall seeing gambling advertisements, while 96 per cent of people aged 11 to 24 reported exposure to gambling marketing within the past month.
“Children and young people remain particularly vulnerable with studies confirming that repeated exposure influences perceptions of gambling and the likelihood of future participation,” the report notes.
Social media and influencer marketing are identified as growing concerns, with 31 per cent of children reporting that influencers had promoted gambling content to them.
Advertising linked to gambling harm, says report
The report also challenges earlier government claims that there is limited evidence linking advertising directly to gambling harm, arguing that the broader body of research demonstrates clear associations.
It highlights data indicating that 34 per cent of bettors said they were influenced by advertising, while 16.3 per cent reported increasing their gambling as a result. A further 14.7 per cent said advertising led them to resume gambling after a break.
Voluntary codes fail to limit exposure
A key finding is that the UK’s reliance on industry self-regulation has failed to control the volume of gambling advertising, particularly in sport.
Research cited in the report found that gambling messages during the opening weekend of Premier League matches rose from 10,999 in 2023 to 27,440 in 2025, despite the introduction of new voluntary codes.
The so-called “whistle-to-whistle” ban on television advertising is also criticised as ineffective. The report notes that the policy applies only to traditional adverts and does not cover pitch-side branding, shirt sponsorship or in-game promotion.
As a result, more than 60 per cent of gambling messages during live broadcasts still appeared within restricted periods.
UK ‘falling behind’ international standards
The APPG and peers argue that the UK is increasingly out of step with other countries that have introduced tougher rules on gambling promotion.
The report says that jurisdictions such as Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands have implemented broad restrictions or outright bans on advertising and sponsorship. The report notes that these measures were introduced as part of wider public health strategies, with governments taking the view that increased gambling participation leads to increased harm.
It adds that the UK’s current approach, which continues to allow widespread advertising, “appears to be the outlier” compared with other public health policies, including recent restrictions on junk food advertising aimed at children.
Proposals include pre-9pm ban, end to sports deals
The report sets out a series of recommendations to reduce exposure and address harmful practices.
Key proposals include banning gambling advertising before the 9pm watershed across all media, ending sponsorship in most sports, and prohibiting influencers from promoting gambling content. It also calls for an end to gambling-related marketing in children’s video games and a statutory duty on online platforms to prevent under-18s from being exposed to such content.
In addition, the report recommends banning advertising for high-risk products, ending direct marketing practices such as “free bets,” and strengthening action against unlicensed operators.
The groups argue that most of these measures could be implemented under existing powers within the Gambling Act 2005.
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