UK parliamentary group backs petition to ban gambling ads from football

APPG supports petition to Downing Street

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Reform has intensified efforts to impose stricter limits on gambling advertising, marketing, and sponsorship, with a particular focus on protecting children from exposure to betting promotions in football.

On Wednesday, the APPG convened multiple meetings that brought together members of parliament, peers, academics and campaigners to discuss fresh evidence and potential policy measures. Following the event, the APPG publicly endorsed and supported CEGA’s delivery of a petition to 10 Downing Street, urging the government to remove gambling advertising from football altogether.

House of Lords calls for comprehensive ban

The House of Lords Liaison Committee published a report recommending a comprehensive ban on all gambling advertising. According to the committee, robust evidence now links gambling advertising to increased participation and associated harms.

The APPG published their own report earlier this year with Peers for Gambling Reform, which called for a pre-9pm watershed ban on gambling advertisements as well as a ban on sporting sponsorships.

Evidence of saturation and self-regulation concerns

Labour MP Alex Ballinger pointed to research showing thousands of gambling-related messages were visible during a single Premier League weekend. Dr Matt Gaskell MBE observed that “overall exposure (including shirts, hoardings, logos, sponsorship and related marketing) during live sports programmes does not show that self-regulation has reduced exposure meaningfully”.

Conservative MP Charlie Dewhirst stressed the economic importance of gambling revenue for sport and broadcasting and cautioned that harsh curbs could push customers toward unlicensed overseas operators.