Advertising Reform Emerges as Early Test for UK Gambling

Research commissioned for campaigning groups opposing gambling advertising has identified a growing divide between public tolerance of gambling itself and rapidly hardening attitudes toward the visibility of gambling advertising in British life. The findings place new pressure on ministers considering the next stages of the regulatory overhaul initiated after the Gambling Review.

Think-tank More in Common conducted a detailed study titled Ending a Losing Streak, examining how different voter segments perceive gambling, advertising saturation, and institutional oversight. The report suggests that many voters see gambling marketing as pervasive in ways that expose children and normalise betting culture, with local authorities and campaign organisations calling for advertising restrictions as an initial area for intervention.

Polling cited in the research indicates strong cross-segment support for tighter advertising controls. Respondents described gambling as widely accessible, visible on television, online platforms and through sports sponsorships. Two-thirds said gambling had become more noticeable, citing digital promotion and football partnerships as key drivers. Participants also pointed to marketing appearing in settings that felt unexpected, such as food-delivery apps and promotional mail sent directly to homes.

Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who authored the study’s foreword, stated: “The report shows that tougher regulation of the gambling sector would not only be uncontroversial but would carry strong public support from voters across the political spectrum.” He also argued that “If we are to protect the next generation from gambling harm, we must act.”

Children’s exposure to gambling promotion emerged as a central point of concern. Around two-thirds of those surveyed believed people under 18 should not see gambling advertising. Football sponsorships drew particular criticism, with roughly half of respondents supporting its removal from the sport. Sentiment compared the current visibility of gambling promotion to levels once associated with tobacco marketing before advertising bans.

The study segmented the public into seven categories based on values and behaviours, illustrating the breadth of concern across voter groups. Support for reform cut across major political constituencies, including those that contributed to Labour’s 2024 election victory.

Alongside advertising fatigue, the research identified declining confidence in the UK’s regulatory and harm-reduction framework. Many respondents expressed little trust in industry-funded charities or in the Gambling Commission, with only a minority indicating confidence in the regulator’s ability to manage risks. Focus groups viewed previous safer gambling slogans as superficial and ineffective, regarding them more as brand protection than genuine harm-prevention messaging.

Campaigners argue that advertising has become the clearest symbol of broader regulatory shortcomings. Will Prochaska, director of a group campaigning to end gambling advertising, said: “This study shows deep public concern about the gambling sector and a strong appetite to protect children from gambling ads. We urge the government to start by banning all gambling ads and content from children’s social media and computer games.”

MP Beccy Cooper echoed calls for further reform, saying: “While successive governments have rightly taken tentative steps towards improving regulation of the gambling sector, we need to go further. Current rules on gambling advertising are no longer fit for purpose. Promotions now saturate television, social media and influencer marketing, exposing children and young people as a matter of course. This must change, and stronger restrictions are now urgently needed to reduce harm.”

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The research describes reform as a politically low-risk area with broad approval and argues that advertising intervention represents a practical starting point for rebuilding confidence. Polling cited in the study suggests that most voters support tougher gambling regulation, including higher transparency and limits on harmful losses.

The Labour government is already preparing to implement licensing and tax adjustments scheduled after the Gambling Review. Remote gaming duty on online casinos and slots will rise from 21% to 40% from April 2026, with a new 25% general betting duty to follow in April 2027. Councils have also sought expanded powers over local licensing, citing community concerns about high-street gambling premises.

Ministers have not launched a formal consultation on advertising rules, though DCMS officials have acknowledged growing political interest and stressed that future policy must be evidence-based and prioritise protections for young audiences.

Source:

Public Support Grows for Stronger Limits on UK Gambling Ads, news.worldcasinodirectory.com, January 6, 2026