U.K. Parliamentary Committee Wants Premier League, Other Sports to Curb Gambling Ads – Covers

Committee seeks new code of conduct for Premier League, other U.K. sports leagues to restrict the number of ads in stadiums.

Last Updated: Dec 22, 2023 6:00 AM ET Read Time: 4 min

A parliamentary committee in the United Kingdom wants more done to curb legal sports betting and gaming advertisements in the English Premier League.

A report from the Culture, Media, and Sport Committee released this week determined that the Premier Leagues decision to remove gambling ads from the front of match shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season will not significantly reduce the volume seen during matches.

The cross-party committee isnt calling for an outright ban, but it wants a new code of conduct for the Premier League and other sports leagues in the U.K. that will restrict ads in the stadium and provide more responsible gaming messages.

More should be done to shield children and people who have experienced problem gambling from what often seems like a bombardment of advertising branding at football and other sporting events, committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage said in a BBC.com report.

The study found that just 7% of visible ads came from the jerseys of 10 matches researched. There were 7,000 gambling advertisements seen during six matches in the opening week of the campaign.

The Premier League responded to the committees report, saying it adheres to all gaming regulations and is now working with other sports and the government on the development of a new code for responsible gambling sponsorship.

The Premier League had deals last season with soccer betting sites that generated an estimated 60m. The clubs agreed in April to remove the front-of-shirt ads, which the committee commended in its request to do more.

Premier League clubs have come under fire for violations this year.

In August, the U.K. watchdog Advertising Standards Authority ruled that bet365 shared a social media marketing post targeted at a younger audience during a February match between Manchester United and Arsenal. The ASA hit XLMedias FreeBet.com in September for sharing an Instagram post of a Manchester United player under the legal age of players who can advertise.

Gambling ads have been a hot topic in the U.S. as well, and Canada is working on regulations against them.

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U.K. Parliamentary Committee Wants Premier League, Other Sports to Curb Gambling Ads - Covers