The largest gambling operators in the UK have agreed to cease their advertising on TV and radio during the coronavirus lockdown, following the calls or a moratorium on gambling advertising to be imposed.
The body that represents about 90% of the UK gambling, casino, betting and bingo operators, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), has revealed that already booked TV and radio ad slots would either feature safe gambling messages from local charity organisations or would be fully removed in case the gambling companies’ contracts with broadcasters permitted it.
The chief executive officer of the BGC, Michael Dugher, described the move as the latest step made by the regulated gambling industry in the country to further underline the sector’s commitment to safer gambling.
The members of the Betting and Gaming Council are given until May 7th to remove their ads from radio and TV, and the ban set to last until at least June 5th. The gambling operators, however, would be given the chance to continue to use other marketing channels in order to promote their services. The announcement follows the calls of more than 20 Members of Parliament who had insisted on stricter regulation of gambling during the coronavirus crisis, including on a moratorium on gambling advertising.
MPs Have Been Calling for Stricter Measures on Gambling Advertising to Protect UK Gamblers
As reported by Casino Guardian, in their letter to the Government, the Members of Parliament, gambling addiction experts and peers have explained that the restrictions, which were imposed on gambling because of the Covid-19 outbreak, affected mostly brick-and-mortar gambling venues, while online and mobile casinos and other gambling operations have been getting more popular.
The chair of the all-party parliamentary group on gambling-related harm, Carolyn Harris, explained that a block on all gambling advertising should have been unveiled by the Government from the very first day of the ongoing shutdown in order to make sure vulnerable people are protected. Ms Harris welcomed the latest decision on the matter but said that the damage is already done. According to her, it is an issue of paramount priority for the Government to make sure this is extended to all gambling advertising verticals throughout the pandemic.
For some time now, gambling operators have been subject to a lot of criticism for their advertising, not only during the lockdown. According to Nielsen, a research company, gambling companies had already reduced their traditional marketing spending in 2020. According to Nielsen’s analysts, their year-on-year declines in spending on radio, TV and print advertising increased from 6% in January to 12% in March.
Still, the chief executive of the BGC has confirmed that there had not been “an explosion” in the number of people betting online as it was predicted by some. In fact, the opposite is true, with the overall revenue registering a decline of up to 60%. Furthermore, Mr Dugher explained that the BGC members generated approximately 50% of all gambling advertising on radio and TV. He further called on other major players in the sector, like Camelot that operates the National Lottery, to make sure they also implement the restrictions.
- Author
Olivia Cole
