GambleAware says the UK has poor gambling advertising standards compared to its European counterparts. Casinoplusbonus evaluates the claim. (Image by icetrayimages794410 on Vecteezy)
The UK has been in the midst of a 5-year shift in gambling policy. You would have thought that with the new gambling rules via the UK White Paper en-mass, it must be all over.
Yet, Brits still have a long way to go before the gambling industry has adjusted to these new rules. In particular, gambling advertising.
I was scouring British gambling news to look for policy changes. We do this on a regular basis to keep you updated. Also, we like to stay up-to-date with Great Britain’s gambling rules.
One of the news reports I found was in The Guardian online. The title stood out loud and clear.
‘Great Britain ‘lags behind’ Europe on betting ad regulation, says gambling charity’. This is a statement made by Britain’s GambleAware.
The charity has long said the country’s gambling advertising rules are already lax. Now, GambleAware is comparing the UK to other European countries.
In paticular, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Italy. In these countries, there are already strict gambling advertising rules in place. GambleAware says Britain’s gambling advertising rules are far weaker in comparison.
Already, I tend to agree with this statement from experience. I go back to the UK every year for a 3-month summer stint. One thing I always notice as an iGaming journalist is the number of gambling ads. Most of these ads pop up on Sky TV and social media.
When I visit places like France or Spain, I rarely notice gambling ads. Another country I also visit family in is Ireland, where gambling ads are also rampant. From my point of view, I am in complete agreement with GambleAware.
This narrative also feeds back into a recent survey by the UKGC on 11 to 17-year-olds. In that news report, 62% had seen online gambling ads. 64% said they had seen offline gambling ads.
Why is UK Gambling Advertising Still rampant?
One of the key concerns for GambleAware is restrictions are not reducing advertising. The UK White Paper of 2023 did not address advertising and rather focused on restricting ads.
The charity has brought up the issue with the new Labour government. Yet, we have not seen any action to address the issue. My message to GambleAware is to wait it out. At some point, the government is sure to tackle the topic.
We already know this government is hot on the heels of the gambling industry. I say this because there were plans to raise taxes applied to gambling companies. Although, with the latest White Paper changes it would have been a poor decision.
The decision to raise the UK gambling tax was not implemented and not included in the UK budget review. It could have destroyed the industry and increased the black market gambling market. If you missed that news, I covered this in the BGC Welcomes UK Budget Announcement news report.
Survey Suggests UK Public Feel Gambling Ads Need Reducing
In the Guardian report, it suggests Brits would welcome a reduction in gambling ads. The statement comes from stats that say 74% want to see social media ads reduced. Also, 72% said they would like to see TV gambling ads reduced.
I have to say, I am tired of any ads whether on TV or social media. Yet, when it comes to gambling ads in the UK, I agree with the stats to reduce TV and social media ads. It’s not the ads themselves; it’s the quantity of gambling ads that bothers me.
What is Next For Great Britain’s Gambling Industry?
There is still plenty of fear among online gambling entertainment operators. There is a feeling that the White Paper was only the top of the iceberg. Under the conservative government, most felt the White Paper was the end.
Now there is a new government in place the White Paper may not be enough. Labour could have further plans to put the dampners on UK gambling.
Right now, there is a pilot affordability checks program in action. Online casinos have now instated new online slot limits, too. Over 25s can bet a maximum of £5.00 per spin. Anyone 24 or under can bet a maximum of £2.00 per spin.
Before the UK White Paper, the government banned auto-spins and quick-spin features. On top of this, slots cannot include bonus buys, and each spin must last a minimum of 2.5 seconds.
Next up… We are likely to see a reduction in gambling ads as long as GambleAware continues to push its narrative.
The full story in the Guardian newspaper – GB lags behind Europe on betting ad regulation!
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