Following the release of a new report highlighting ongoing risks to minors in the digital age, GambleAware is urging the UK government to tighten regulations surrounding online gambling advertising.
The gambling harm charity warns that exposure to gambling advertisements before a person reaches critical maturity increases the likelihood of future gambling problems. GambleAware also calls the current regulations “poor” because it has not kept up with changes in how young people access media.
GambleAware’s recommendations include increased government oversight of online betting sites and platform accountability under more comprehensive regulatory frameworks, such as the Online Safety Act.
Additionally, GambleAware supports the requirement that all gambling marketing content include health warnings, a policy that the majority of gambling providers have already embraced.
Survey Findings and Policy Recommendations
Although the charity acknowledges that this may not accurately reflect UK society, a recent survey of 3,000 people by GambleAware revealed that 70% of adults and 79% of minors support stricter regulations on gambling-related social media content.
According to UK government research cited in the report, approximately 85,000 children in Britain have already suffered harm as a result of gambling.
Anna Hargrave, GambleAware’s Transition CEO, commented: “Gambling operators invest significant resources into online marketing because it works at getting people to gamble more. This has resulted in children and young people being exposed to gambling content online before an age at which they can critically evaluate it and understand the risks that come with it.
“The current regulations covering gambling marketing and advertising online were designed before most children had easy access to the internet. Urgent action is needed to update these rules and bring them into the digital age to help keep children and young people safe from gambling harm.”
GambleAware’s most recent findings provide additional impetus for a thorough revision of UK gambling advertising laws, advocating for digital-age regulations that better safeguard young audiences.
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