PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Gambling: Advertising (24 July 2018)

There are strict controls on the content of all gambling advertisements, including broadcast adverts. Gambling operators who advertise in the UK must comply with the advertising codes, which aim to ensure gambling advertising does not appeal particularly to children or young people or exploit vulnerable people. TV adverts must be pre-cleared by Clearcast and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) acts on complaints and proactively checks the media to take action against misleading, harmful or offensive advertisements. The Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising requires all TV and print adverts to carry an 18+ or ‘no under 18s’ message.

As with advertising, sponsorship arrangements must be socially responsible and must never be targeted at children. Operators’ logos must not appear on any commercial merchandising which is designed for children, including replica football shirts in children’s sizes.

We considered advertising as part of our Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility and published our response in May. The Review looked at the existing protections around gambling advertising and set out a package of initiatives to strengthen them further. These include tougher guidance from the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) on protecting vulnerable people, with further guidance on children and young people due later this year, and tougher sanctions for operators who breach advertising codes.