UK lawmakers want to see Premier League gambling ads reduced

The Premier League is back in focus in the United Kingdom, not only because Arsenal and Aston Villa seem to have had a remarkable year so far, but also because the outstanding question of gambling advertisements in the league continues to worry consumers, and now lawmakers.

A report by the Culture, Media, and Sports Committee last week urged the Premier League to consider reducing the number of advertisements that are visible, suggesting several ways to do this, and mostly addressing the government in setting up robust standards.

More importantly, the status quo must change, lawmakers argue, as 7,000 visible gambling messages during six league matches were detected based on a recent study. Tighter measures would be needed to ensure that children are protected from encountering such ads.

The CMSC has urged the government to take a much more robust approach to gambling advertisement in the nation’s top-flight soccer league and use the White Paper to ensure that all necessary safeguards are in place to protect children from harm.

CMSC Chair Caroline Dinenage emphasized the need to ensure that children and vulnerable consumers are protected first, and leisurely activities catered to second. She said:

"While gambling regulation should not overly impinge on the freedom to enjoy what is a problem-free pastime for the majority, more should be done to shield both children and people who have experienced problem gambling from what often seems like a bombardment of advertising branding at football and other sporting events."

The CMSC is not really sure if stripping gambling adverts from player shirts would be sufficient to really achieve the end goal which is protecting consumers. In fact, the committee believes that this would have a nominal impact on the overall proliferation of gambling advertisements seen by young and vulnerable consumers.

The Premier League and its 20 clubs have already agreed to voluntarily phase out team shirt sponsorships that carry gambling imagery and branding. However, lawmakers insist that these only account for 7% of all visible gambling advertising that is seen during a live broadcast of a soccer game, which begs the question – what would the front-of-shirt sponsorship achieve?

Dinenage simply stated that more should be done, and further proposals are needed to adequately address the level of gambling marketing material exposure that consumers in the United Kingdom face. The Coalition Against Gambling Ads (CAGA) has welcomed this show of willingness among lawmakers to adequately address an issue that the organization has held dear.

"We welcome the committee’s recognition that gambling ads are a problem – the government must be bolder and end gambling advertising in Britain," a spokesperson for the CAGA said.

The industry has also said that gambling ads need to comply with laws, and bodies, such as the Betting and Gaming Council reminded that safer gambling messages were already prominently displayed as part of marketing efforts in the United Kingdom.

To help settle these opposite opinions, the CMSC has urged the government to act and commission an independent study that can verify the relationship between gambling advertising and the risk of harm, and to establish whether this mandated more serious intervention on the part of regulation, as the CMSC maintains.

The idea of establishing a gambling ombudsman has also been discussed among the CMSC’s members, with many worrying if such a role could be introduced on the rather short notice outlined in the White Paper.

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