In an effort to protect minors and those at risk of the scourge of gambling addiction, all advertising campaigns featuring athletes and celebrities, including social media influencers, will be prohibited from UK shores beginning on October 1st of this year.
The gambling industry has seen a proliferation in its exposure on televised media and in print form since the gambling act was overhauled back in 2005 by the then Labour government, with the use of sports and reality tv stars and other celebrities being used to push their brands.
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has implemented the changes, which will result in the discontinuation of current television commercials for bet365 that feature celebrities like Ray Winstone. The rule modification not only affects televised advertisements, but it also forbids the display of team uniforms and sporting venues.
"The days of gambling ads featuring sports stars, video game imagery, and other content of strong appeal to under-18s are numbered" said Shahriar Coupal, director of the Committee of Advertising Practice.
The new rules "invite a new era for gambling advertisements, more particular to the adult audience they can target and more appropriate for the age-restricted product they're promoting" by ending these practices.
“No more social media influencers, TV stars or other celebrities popular with children inviting us to bet on red. And, no more gambling ads featuring video game images or gameplay familiar to many children’s lives.”
The controversial issue of gambling companies sponsoring teams, which is at an all-time high in England's top two professional football leagues, will not be impacted by the rule change. This is because the body in charge of enforcing the UK's code of conduct for advertisements, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), does not currently have the authority to regulate in this particular field.
Adding to her comments, Coupal went on to state: “This might not seem immediately significant but its effect – particularly in a World Cup year – will be dramatic.”
“By ending these practices, our new rules invite a new era for gambling ads, more particular to the adult audience they can target and more befitting of the age-restricted product they’re promoting.”
The CAP rule change will not only apply to televised advertisements but also to all broadcast media, including TV, radio, and movie theater advertisements, as well as non-broadcast media, like online and newspaper advertisements, billboards, and posters.
