If you think that more gambling advertising begets an increase in problem gambling, think again. According to the Committees of Advertising Practice(CAP) in the UK, “Problem gambling rates and participation rates among children and young people have both been at worst stable during a period of unprecedented growth in gambling advertising. There is also little to suggest correlation with the most frequently advertised gambling activities: lotteries, sports betting, and bingo.”

The Director of the CAP was quoted in an iGaming Business article as saying, “We know gambling can be a contentious issue, which is why there are strict rules in place to ensure it is advertised responsibly. While our review shows that our regulation of gambling ads is effective, we’re staying vigilant and will act where evidence shows that children or vulnerable people might be at risk.”

Researchers concluded, “The impact of gambling advertising, both on the propensity toward problem gambling and underage participation, is limited.”

What is effective in terms of advertising restrictions? What has the UK Advertising Code implemented that other jurisdictions could follow? “Targeting risk factors with content restrictions is acknowledged as the best means of effectively controlling advertising,” the report summarized.

The UK advertising codes emphasize that “persons under the age of 18 are protected; material likely to encourage or to incite the commission of crime or to lead to disorder is not included; generally accepted standards are applied to the contents to provide adequate protection for the public from offensive and harmful material; the inclusion of advertising that may be misleading, harmful, or offensive is prevented; and there is no undue discrimination between advertisers.”

UK officials recently adopted the Licensing and Advertising Act, which includes a 15% point of consumption tax. The measure drove operators like Winamax, PokerStars.fr, and TurboPoker.fr, which are already taxed in France, out of the UK market.

A total of 280,000 UK residents were classified as problem gamblers, an issue that was more prevalent among men than women. Blacks, Asians, and other ethnic groups were about six times as likely to be problem gamblers as whites. Additionally, the 16 to 24-year old age group had the highest rates of problem gambling.

Read the full advertising report.

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