The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has pledged to “maintain the momentum” with regards to protecting young people and promoting safer betting ahead of the new football season.
The English Football League’s first round of fixtures takes place this weekend, with the Premier League following suit next week.
BGC has highlighted the steps its members have taken to improve the standards of betting adverts in the past two years in attempts to reduce the number seen by young people. One such action was the introduction of a social media code of conduct for football clubs and gambling websites.
Other steps include a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling ads during football matches, which has led to a 97% reduction in these ads being seen by children during the whistle-to-whistle period, according to a study by Enders Analysis. This ban also led to a 47% reduction in gambling ads during Euro 2020 when compared to the 2018 World Cup.
Betting logos have also been banned from children’s football kits, the Industry Code for Responsible Advertising was introduced last October, and the industry has provided sponsorship and advertising opportunities for football teams.
BGC chief executive Michael Dugher said: “The start of the new football season is an exciting time for fans across the country. BGC members are proud to provide financial support in a variety of ways for the beautiful game, but it’s also important that we maintain the momentum when it comes to protecting young people from gambling harm.
“Around 30 million people in Britain – half the population – enjoy a flutter, and the vast majority do so safely. According to the Government, the rate of problem gambling is 0.5% and has been stable for the past 20 years.
“But one problem gambler is one too many, so we will step up our work on protecting young people and providing help for those experiencing harm.”
