House of Lords says gambling ad rules "too passive"

• A report by the House of Lords has urged for more measures against digital gambling ads
• The measures that are currently regulating the industry have been called "too passive"
• The House of Lords' report is not binding

A new 173-page report by the House of Lords liaison committee has criticized the current rules that guide gambling advertising in the United Kingdom calling them "too passive," and suggesting that they need to adapt to the modern age.

House of Lords report urges changes to gambling advertising rules

A primary focus of the report has been the proliferation of gambling ads across digital channels and media, including through influencers who now push messages and advertise products in the sector.

The committee wants more done to focus on the proliferation of digital advertising, which it says is key. According to the committee, the measures though should not be symbolic, but rather - definitive and decisive.

The report specifically says that a tobacco-style blanket ban on advertising would be the best way to go, with a few exceptions - racecourses and the lottery. This wya, the report stipulates, the government could reduce gambling-related harms such as suicidal idiation, relationship breakdown and financial hardships.

But not everybody agrees, as the Betting and Gaming Council, a trade group promoting the interests of the gambling industry, has argued that the report is "deeply misguided" and is reaching the wrong conclusions.

While the Betting and Gaming Council has repeatedly pronounced itself for tougher measures on consumer protection, the trade group has also urged the government and any proposals targeting and limiting advertising to account for the simple fact that by restricting the regulated market, lawmakers would be empowering the ilelgal gambling sector which has been steadily gaining ground in the country.

The Premier League alone could generate $1bn in illegal gambling, and a report by Euromat suggests that 25% of iGaming in Europe is driven by offshore and not locally licensed companies.

The House of Lords has not been completely numb to the argument put forward by trade bodies, with Lord Foster, one of the report’s authors, acknowledging this inherent challenge and calling it a legitimate concern.

Recommendations aren’t binding, but pressure on regulating ads continues

However, Lord Foster also argued that this should not detract from the government’s efforts to make the industry safer by introducing stricter safeguards.

"That should not deflect us from the need to address the harm that is being created by the legal market," Lord Foster specifically explained. Regardless, the report and committee’s recommendations aren’t binding, and the government has no obligation to bind them.

The UK Gambling Commission, the regulator, has recently appointed a new chair with strong consumer protection credentials, who will spearhead any new efforts to make the industry a safer place for players, while also focusing on the threat of the black market.

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