World Cup Betting Ads Fall By 34%
The Betting and Gaming Council has hailed the success of the whistle-to-whistle ban in reducing the number of betting adverts aired during the 2022 World Cup. The industry body reported that the number of betting ads shown on ITV during the tournament decreased by over a third. Since 2019, members of the BGC have agreed not to advertise during live televised sports before the watershed.
Argentina won the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first nation from South America to win the tournament since 2002. ©Israel França/Pexels
Whistle-to-Whistle Ban
New figures have revealed that the number of TV betting adverts aired on ITV during the 2022 World Cup group stages fell by more than a third, compared to the World Cup in 2018. New data shows that the number of betting ads shown dropped by an impressive 34%. The Betting and Gaming Council has declared the result a resounding success for the whistle-to-whistle ban.
The World Cup was broadcast on two of UK’s free to air channels, the BBC and ITV. The BBC does not air any adverts, instead taking in funds through its TV licensing fee. As a result, the overall number of betting ads viewed during the World Cup was significantly lower towards the end of the tournament.
Excluding all lottery adverts, a total of 110 gambling adverts were shown on ITV during the World Cup 2022 group stages. Four years ago, 167 betting ads were shown on the channel during the same stage of the last World Cup. That equates to 4.5 ads per live match at this year’s tournament, versus 8.35 in 2018.
The fall in betting ads aired is directly attributable to the whistle-to-whistle ban, a voluntary measure introduced by Betting and Gaming Council members in 2019. The voluntary ban means that TV betting commercials cannot be broadcast from five minutes before the kick-off of a match until five minutes after it ends, before the 9PM watershed.
The voluntary ban does not apply to matches aired after the watershed. A report published last year found that the ban had caused a 97% reduction in the number of gambling ads viewed by children at that time. In addition to the ban, BGC members have also pledged that 20% of their TV and radio ads are safer gambling messages.
White Paper Imminent
BGC boss Michael Dugher was keen to highlight the success of the voluntary ban. He called out the industry’s detractors, who had warned that the World Cup could lead to a rise in problem gambling. According to Dugher, these claims were unfounded. He stated
“At the start of the World Cup, the usual suspects said we would see a “perfect storm” of problem gambling, sparked by waves of betting adverts. This data prove that these warnings were yet again wrong.”
Dugher continued to explain that calls from prohibitionists to ban betting ads and sports sponsorship are not backed up by evidence. The government itself has acknowledged that independent research has failed to establish a causal link between exposure to advertising and the development of problem gambling.
Campaigners have called on the government to introduce curbs on gambling advertising as well as a ban on operators sponsoring the shirts of football clubs. MPs and charities have raised concerns that the significant presence of betting promotion in sports and the media could normalize excessive gambling to young and vulnerable people.
The government is currently in the final stages of its long-running Gambling Act Review. It has stated that it expects to publish a white paper outlining new legislation in the coming weeks. The review aims to bring gambling laws up to date with the digital age. The 2005 Gambling Act has remained largely unchanged since its introduction and is generally considered to be outdated and unfit for purpose in the age of online gambling.
Marketing and advertising have been topics of discussion for the review, although it remains to be seen how the government will choose to legislate on the practice. Earlier this year, the Committee of Advertising Practice brought in new rules preventing sports people from appearing in betting marketing. The updated rules, which are designed to reduce the appeal of gambling content to young people, caught out Ladbrokes last month.
Safer Gambling
The BGC has repeatedly warned the government not to introduce overly strict gambling legislation, which would inhibit the enjoyment of those who gamble as part of a safe pastime. The organization, which represents 90% of the UK’s licensed casinos, bookmakers and online operators, believes that too many restrictions could encourage players to seek out black market gambling sites.
Black market operators are unsafe to use, as they are unregulated and fail to implement safer gambling measures and self-help tools. The unregulated online sector also pays no tax, making no contribution to the economy. According to Dugher:
“The reduction in betting ads is further proof of the continued commitment by BGC members to raising standards – while also promoting safer gambling tools like setting deposit limits and time-outs, and signposting help to the those who need it.”
In addition to the whistle-to-whistle ban, the BGC has undertaken a number of other measures to protect young and vulnerable people from gambling harms. BGC members, which include some of the world’s leading online gambling operators, have collaborated with leading social media sites to introduce new age-gating rules. These prevent betting ads from being seen by under-25s on most sites.
A report carried out by EY has stated that BGC members are responsible for supporting 110,000 jobs, generating £4.2 billion in tax for the Treasury and contributing £7.1 billion in gross value added for the UK economy.
Members of the industry body can also be credited with providing £350 million a year for horse racing through sponsorship, media rights and the betting levy. Similarly, English football clubs benefit from £40 million, and millions more goes to snooker, rugby league and darts.
Each month, 22.5 million adults in the UK play bingo, as well as wagering on football, horses and other sports. The Gambling Commission, which regulates the sector in the UK, claims that problem gambling rates are amongst the lowest in Europe at 0.3%.
