In an expanding effort to stop the spread of gambling advertising, ten local councils from the United Kingdom have joined the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA).
The latest councils — Barnet, Blackpool, Brent, Bristol, Devon, East Suffolk, Enfield, Hackney, Lewisham, and Southampton — add to more than 80 others already taking steps to restrict gambling promotions on public property.
According to CEGA, the movement is a reaction to worries about gambling-related harm, which now allegedly affects 2.7% of the adults in the UK and is linked to hundreds of suicides annually.
Despite these local efforts, councils remain largely powerless over ads on commercial billboards, mass transit, broadcast media, and the internet.
Recent polling by CEGA shows public support for the campaign is high: 70% of UK adults want gambling ads banned or restricted, and 68% say children should not be exposed to gambling marketing.
Calls for Stronger National Action
In January 2025, Haringey Council became the first organisation to join CEGA, supporting a complete prohibition on gambling advertisements. This year, Brent Council, along with forty others, sent a six-point plan to the national government to reduce the negative effects of gambling.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester and several football clubs have also backed restrictions, while some media outlets have already adopted voluntary bans.
CEGA director Will Prochaska described the councils’ involvement as “a clear message—it’s time to stop allowing companies to profit from promoting harmful products.”
This message was reiterated by several local officials, who emphasised how gambling affects the social, mental, and financial well-being of their communities.
Councillor Marie Finn of Southampton Council state:, “We’re passionate about making Southampton safer, healthier and more equal for our residents.”
Meanwhile, Hackney’s Chris Kennedy noted that gambling-related harm “often goes unrecognised, as it is frequently a stigmatised issue affecting some of our most disadvantaged citizens.”
National groups like the Royal Society for Public Health, along with public health directors, are pushing to outlaw it; back in 2024, the WHO urged broad action against gambling’s negative effects.
Councils are being pushed by CEGA to step up — because without stronger moves, the current flood of betting ads won’t slow.
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