BGC improves rules for gambling advertisements

The industry body representing the regulated UK betting and gaming sector, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), announced new rules that seek to further protect people under the age of 18 from digital media advertisements for gambling. The changes, announced earlier this week, will be published with the Council's Seventh Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising (IGRG code). Ultimately, the new advertising standards reaffirm the commitment of BGC's members to ensuring the protection of young people.

Previous efforts to protect young people from gambling ads mandated that 20% of all radio and TV advertising includes safer gambling messages. That code will be extended to include digital media advertising as well, expanding further the reach of safer gambling messages.

Under the previous rules within the IGRG code, BGC members committed that all paid-for or sponsored social media advertisements must target individuals who are 25 years old or older. This applied unless websites were able to prove that they could specifically target audiences that are over the legal gambling age of 18. However, under the new regulations, the requirements for ads targeting customers aged 25 and over will be extended to all digital platforms that feature an age filter.

The BGC confirmed that the new rules come into effect on December 1, 2023. The overhauled regulations reaffirm the industry body's determination to elevate the standards within the gaming and betting sector and ensure the protection of customers.

Michael Dugher, BGC's chief executive, commented on the topic in a statement. "As the standards body for the regulated sector, we are committed to continuing to drive up standards and make big changes across the betting and gaming industry. Helping protect young people is our number one priority," he said.

Dugher confirmed that BGC members committed to protecting users by targeting only specific audiences. He added that by collaborating with platforms, the Council's members will be able to achieve even better results.

Additionally, Dugher stressed the importance of safer gambling messages. "It is about ensuring that customers use safer gambling tools like setting deposits limits and time outs, but also it is about the vitally important work of signposting the help that is out there to help the minority of gamblers who might be struggling with their betting and gaming," he said. Finally, BGC's chief executive outlined that the new IGRG Code reaffirms its dedication to raising the standards for the gambling sector even further.

Other efforts already implemented by BGC members include the whistle ban, applicable to TV advertisements. Moreover, the Council's members support deposit limits, strict and effective age and ID verification, as well as cooling-off periods, among other efforts to protect customers from excessive gambling.

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