Premier League Gambling Ads Spark Licensing Concerns

The Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research closely monitored gambling exposure across live Premier League coverage between 15 and 18 August. Overall, they recorded 27,440 gambling-related messages across live TV, radio, Sky Sports News and social media: nearly triple the amount seen in 2023.

The results show that voluntary measures aren’t enough according to lead researcher Dr Raffaello Rossi, who said,

“The Premier League is now so saturated with gambling marketing that brands are fighting each other for every inch of advertising space. The evidence is now overwhelming: self-regulation has failed.”

Rossi’s team logged well over 21,800 gambling messages, a staggering average of 12.6 per minute. The Wolverhampton vs Manchester City match topped the charts, with over 5,200 gambling messages and betting logos appearing for nearly a third of the total broadcast time.

The “whistle-to-whistle” advertising ban proved to be ineffective. Gambling ads are banned from five minutes before kick-off until five minutes after full-time for games before 9pm. Researchers found a whopping 13,262 messages aired during this time bracket. Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP criticised the policy as “…far too limited and ineffective…” calling for tighter enforcement.

The revelation that 2,412 of the adverts came from 13 unlicensed gambling brands (roughly 10%) was an even more daunting prospect, breaching the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) code and UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) regulations. On social media, 42% of gambling content wasn’t being labelled clearly as “promotional”, while another 38% completely circumvented regulation through foreign loopholes. These unregulated posts collectively reached more than 34 million views. Lord Foster of Bath (chair of Peers for Gambling Reform) called the ASA “toothless”, warning that self-regulation is “…failing to protect consumers.”

So what does this mean for the wider gambling scene? Firstly, the UKGC will respond with a firmer stance on advertising transparency and brand accountability, doubling down on operators who promote no deposit bonuses or online slots via influencers or social media. Expect stricter KYC verification requirements and clearer licensing checks for platforms advertising within the UK market.

Offshore or Curaçao-licensed casinos with a focus on British players might soon find themselves under further scrutiny or even blacklisted if they don’t meet British advertising standards. Basically, the Premier League’s ad saturation could end up being the reason for sweeping change – not just in sports sponsorships, but in how gambling brands communicate cross-platform.

It seems the days of free-for-all gambling promotion could be numbered. Whether you’re a streamer, affiliate, or a player, one thing is for certain: the UK’s gambling ad scene is long overdue a shake up.