House of Lords Urges Comprehensive Ban on Gambling Advertising

The House of Lords Liaison Committee has issued a 173-page report urging the UK government to implement a comprehensive, tobacco-style ban on gambling advertising, marketing, and sponsorship. The cross-party committee argues that such a ban is the most effective way to reduce gambling-related harms, citing estimates that up to 1.5 million adults and 68,000 children in Great Britain suffer from gambling problems.

The proposal recommends banning gambling advertisements on sports team kits—including training kits—and within sports venues and programs. The committee dismissed voluntary measures, such as the Premier League's front-of-shirt ban, as insufficient. To ensure enforcement, the report suggests shifting regulatory authority from the Advertising Standards Authority to the Gambling Commission, granting it statutory powers. Proposed restrictions would also include banning sign-up bonuses, direct marketing, and influencer promotions, while exempting the lottery and on-course advertising for horse and greyhound racing.

Industry representatives, including the Betting and Gaming Council and Flutter, oppose the measures, claiming a ban would cost hundreds of jobs, strip grassroots sports of funding, and drive consumers toward illegal markets. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport responded that it remains committed to reducing harm through increased advertising standards and the Illegal Gambling Taskforce rather than a blanket ban.