Public Pressure to Limit the Advertising of Gambling

by James Gibson, 7 January 2026

Public opinion on gambling ads is negative, pushing ministers to introduce restrictions.

Public opinion on gambling ads could put pressure on ministers. © kxrz, Pixabay

Key Facts:

• Polling suggests the public strongly approve of more gambling advertising restrictions
• The public are keen for gambling sponsorship deals to be regulated
• Ministers will undoubtedly feel the pressure to clamp down on gambling ads

In recent years, the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission) has introduced a range of rules and restrictions to both prevent and help with gambling-related problems. These include a £5 maximum bet size for slots and a statutory gambling levy.

The UK government has also come down hard on gambling, recently introducing higher taxes on the sector despite pushback from various people in the industry. New polling data implies that people want more restrictions on gambling ads.

This is largely because in the last few years, very little attention has been paid to the advertising of gambling and the potentially negative effects it can have. Gambling ads have become more prominent since deregulation occurred in 1995.

Overseen by Tony Blair’s Labour government, the deregulation made it possible for advertising related to gambling to become much more commonplace. There have been very few rules in place to govern gambling ads.

What the Polling Found

The polling was carried out by More in Common and was commissioned by the Campaign to End Gambling Advertising. The polling was part of a report entitled Ending a Losing Streak.

What it found was that 70% of people are in favour of tougher restrictions on not just gambling advertising, but sponsorship deals involving gambling companies too. Some 26% believe gambling companies shouldn’t be allowed to promote themselves in any way.

Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative Party leader, wrote a foreword to the report in which he said the following:

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. If we are to protect the next generation from gambling harm, we must act. – Iain Duncan Smith, Former Conservative Party leader writes foreword for gambling ads report, The Guardian

Some steps have already been taken to reduce gambling ads. Back in 2019, gambling companies made an agreement not to advertise during sports programmes before 9pm. They also decided to make a fifth of their advertising about responsible gambling.

It’s estimated that gambling companies collectively spend around £2 billion on advertising and promotions. The Betting & Gaming Council (BGC), the industry’s lobby group, puts the figure at £1.15 billion. It claims the larger figure includes illegal operators.

The polling also revealed that gambling was the sector that people most want to see face tougher regulation. Nearly two thirds (65%) are keen for the sector to have stricter rules imposed on it.

Other findings include only 8% wanting to see the gambling industry grow and close to half (47%) of respondents claiming they want the industry to shrink. Hardly anyone thought their local area would benefit from having more gambling venues.

Almost half (44%) said they would prefer an empty shop on a high street to any sort of gambling business (such as a full-scale casino or a smaller slots venue). Over a quarter (27%) said they’d prefer the opposite.

Further Comments and Issues

Labour MP Betty Cooper has called for the government to do more to regulate gambling ads, saying the following:

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. – Betty Cooper, Labour MP pushes for more gambling regulation, The Guardian

Will Prochaska, who is the director of the Campaign to End Gambling Advertising, commented on how the report reflects public concerns about the gambling industry as a whole. He mentioned there was a strong desire to safeguard children.

He wants the government to enforce an outright ban on gambling ads and any gambling-related content from children’s social media. This ban should also extend to computer games aimed at children.

A spokesperson from the government has said that there are currently no plans to introduce regulations for gambling ads. It does, however, appreciate that work needs to be done to prevent such ads from leading to problems.

The Betting and Gaming Council has explained that spending on advertising in the gambling sector has actually gone down in recent years. Also, advertising complies with current requirements and actively promotes responsible gambling.

The BGC also mentioned that the government highlighted research that didn’t prove a link between exposure to gambling ads and problem gambling. In further defence of the industry, the BGC said that tax increases could lead to many job losses.