According to a recent report, Great Britain is “falling behind” its European counterparts when it comes to curbing betting adverts, just as official figures reveal a worrying rise in gambling-related issues among children.

The report, commissioned by the charity GambleAware, highlights that limiting advertisements by betting firms and casinos has become “the standard” across Europe in response to concerns over public health. However, Britain has been slow to adopt similar measures.

While other countries are stepping up, advertising regulation was notably absent from the 2023 white paper on gambling reform, released by the former UK government. Meanwhile, the Labour Party has so far refrained from explicitly stating whether they intend to tackle the issue, despite widespread public calls for stricter action.

The report concludes that Great Britain has the most “relaxed” advertising rules for gambling among leading European markets, pointing to stricter regulations in countries like Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Though introduced in 2007 under Tony Blair’s Labour government, the liberal stance towards gambling ads persists, even as surveys show that nearly two-thirds of the public feel there is too much exposure to gambling marketing. Support for tighter restrictions is even higher for social media (74%) and TV ads (72%).

GambleAware advocates for policy reforms aimed at addressing these health concerns. The charity is proposing measures such as a ban on gambling adverts before the 9 pm watershed, stricter control over online content and social media promotions, and a complete ban on gambling sponsorships across sporting events.

In case these recommendations aren’t implemented, GambleAware urges the government to enforce mandatory health warnings on gambling ads akin to those used with tobacco. However, the former government argued they don’t have sufficient evidence to justify restrictions, claiming no proven link between gambling promotion and harm.

GambleAware disagrees with this conclusion, stating, "There is robust evidence demonstrating that gambling ads not only increase participation but also heighten risk; they contribute to harmful behavior and lead to the normalization of gambling, particularly among younger audiences,” it said.

Previous estimates from 2017 revealed that gambling companies spend approximately £1.5 billion on marketing annually. The University of Bristol, which also conducted the GambleAware study, found that during the opening weekend of the current Premier League season, fans saw nearly 30,000 betting-related adverts—a spike of 165% compared to the previous year.

Dr. Raffaello Rossi, the University of Bristol marketing researcher and author of both reports, remarked, “Our findings show that, despite having the most compelling evidence of gambling-related harms, Great Britain still has some of the least stringent regulations in Europe. This suggests the issue may lie not in lack of research but in the absence of political drive to enforce stronger controls.”

On the other hand, a representative from the Betting and Gaming Council industry group criticized the report, claiming, "This isn’t academic research but an advocacy piece that misrepresents data—we don’t agree with the report’s conclusions or its methodology.”

This report comes shortly after official statistics revealed that 85,000 British children aged 11 to 17 are now classified as having gambling problems, with the percentage of affected youth having doubled in just one year.

The Guardian, which stopped accepting gambling-related ads in mid-2023, reached out to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for further comment. A spokesperson responded, “We are aware of the significant harm gambling can cause to individuals and their families, and we are wholeheartedly committed to enhancing protections for those most vulnerable to these risks.”

They added: “Ministers are actively reviewing the country’s gambling policies and will provide an update in the near future."