Members of the British Parliament have united in a call to the Premier League and other governing bodies, urging them to reduce the prevalence of gambling advertisements within stadiums.
This plea comes in response to a study that unveiled the staggering count of nearly 7,000 visible gambling messages during six league matches.
The Culture, Media, and Sport Committee issued a report on gambling regulation, released on Thursday, advocating for a reduction in gambling advertising to protect children from exposure to these promotions.
They concluded that the government should adopt a more cautious stance on advertising, beyond what was initially proposed in the gambling White Paper, a policy document.
Committee Chair Caroline Dinenage emphasized the importance of shielding both children and individuals who have faced issues with problem gambling from the overwhelming influx of advertising at football and other sporting events.
Dinenage, who represents Gosport, insisted that the government should collaborate with sports governing bodies to curtail the sheer volume of betting advertisements that people are exposed to.
A recent study revealed that front-of-shirt gambling branding constituted 7% of all gambling branding visible during ten broadcast matches that were surveyed.
While the committee applauded the reduction in gambling sponsorships on Premier League players’ shirts, they highlighted that it did not diminish the overall number of adverts witnessed during a game.
The report echoed several provisions outlined in the gambling White Paper, including the creation of a system of financial risk checks to be performed by gambling operators on customer accounts that accumulate substantial losses within a specific timeframe.
The committee also expressed support for the government’s plan to introduce additional online safeguards for young adults by imposing lower stake limits and specific thresholds for triggering financial risk assessments.
Furthermore, the British government recently revealed its consideration of a statutory levy to be paid by gambling operators.
The proceeds from this levy would be allocated to fund research, prevention, and treatment related to gambling addiction—a proposal that garnered the committee’s endorsement in their report.