A House of Lords committee has called for a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising in Great Britain, arguing that current rules have failed to keep pace with the growth of digital marketing and the evidence linking advertising with gambling harm.
The House of Lords Liaison Committee made the recommendation in its new report, Gambling Harm—Time for Action: Follow-up report, published on Thursday 17 September.
The cross-party committee says a comprehensive advertising ban would be the most effective policy for advancing the Government's objective of reducing gambling-related harm and should form part of a wider public-health approach.
Committee calls for comprehensive advertising ban
The report recommends that the Government introduce a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising as soon as practicable.
The committee says the volume and nature of gambling marketing have changed dramatically since the Gambling Act 2005 liberalised advertising rules, particularly through online advertising, social media and forms of content marketing that can blur the distinction between advertising and editorial material.
It says the gambling industry now spends more than £1 billion each year on advertising.
The committee also argues that Great Britain has become an international outlier as other jurisdictions have introduced significant restrictions on gambling advertising.
Up to 1.5m adults estimated to experience problem gambling
The report cites estimates that between 1 million and 1.5 million adults in Great Britain gamble in a way that may be described as problem gambling.
It says associated harms can include relationship breakdown, reduced spending on everyday necessities, borrowing or using savings to fund gambling and concealing gambling from family members.
At the most serious end, gambling harm can be associated with mental ill health and suicide.
The committee says the evidence base linking exposure to gambling advertising with gambling participation and harm has strengthened since the previous House of Lords Gambling Industry Committee reported in 2020.
Sport sponsorship also targeted
The report calls for substantial restrictions on gambling sponsorship in sport alongside the wider advertising ban.
However, it echoes the previous committee's recommendation that on-course advertising for betting at horse racing and greyhound racing should be exempt.
The committee also recommends that the Government assess the risk associated with lottery advertising when deciding whether lotteries should fall within the proposed comprehensive ban.
Committee says governments have been 'far too passive'
The Lords committee criticises the response of successive governments to the expansion of gambling advertising, saying they have been “far too passive” in responding to the growth of digital marketing and newer advertising techniques.
Lord Foster of Bath, who participated in the follow-up inquiry, said reducing gambling advertising would reduce gambling participation and consequently reduce problem gambling and associated harm.
The committee acknowledges that a comprehensive advertising ban would be expected to shrink the gambling sector but argues that this should not prevent action where the objective is to reduce harm.
It also argues that reducing gambling participation could produce wider economic benefits if household spending moves into other parts of the economy.
Committee rejects illegal-market argument
The report considers concerns that tighter restrictions on licensed gambling operators could encourage customers to move to unregulated or illegal gambling services.
While acknowledging that stronger action is required against the illegal market, the committee says it was not persuaded that restrictions on advertising by licensed operators would necessarily cause significant displacement towards illegal gambling.
It concludes that concerns about the illegal market should not prevent measures aimed at reducing harms associated with the licensed sector.
Government has not announced a ban
The recommendation does not represent a change in Government policy.
In May, the Government said it was not considering legislation to ban online gambling advertising at that time, although it said it would continue working with stakeholders to raise standards.
The Government has separately consulted on banning sponsorship and physical advertising by gambling operators that are not licensed by the Gambling Commission. That proposal is distinct from the much broader ban on licensed gambling advertising now recommended by the Lords committee.
The Government will now have the opportunity to respond formally to the committee's recommendations.