Much has been made about the use of gambling ads on television. But Betting and Gaming Council Chief Executive Michael Dugher says in response that in his estimation, the public finds advertising in general annoying, so don’t single out gambling ads, according to SBC News.
Writing a story in the parliamentary magazine The House, Dugher took exception to prohibitionists from the anti-gambling lobby. Supporters of reforms in gaming laws have pinpointed industry advertising as a cause of gambling-related harm, also mentioning the potential influence of marketing over children.
Dugher cited DCMS Secretary John Whittingdale, who is overseeing the review of the Gambling Act. Whittingdale told Parliament the link between advertising and betting “did not establish a causal link between exposure to advertising and the development of problem gambling.”
Dugher also cited U.K. Gambling Commission research which found that the main types of gambling conducted by those under the age of 16 are private bets between friends, fruit machines, card games and scratch cards.
These activities fall outside the licensed betting operators.
“This is not children induced by advertising betting on football with regulated operators as some campaigners seem to suggest.”
Furthermore, a whistle-to-whistle ban on advertising during football matches cut betting ads in half during the UEFA 2020 European Championship earlier this year.
“I certainly recognize that there must be no complacency from the industry, that many people do have genuine and sincere concerns, and that there is still much more work for us all to do,” the CEO continued. “Problem gambling may be low, but one problem gambler is still one too many. That’s why the BGC has been determined to drive change, raise standards and promote safer gambling.”
