A recent study by the University of Bristol’s Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research once again examined the prevalence of gambling ads during the English Premier League’s opening weekend. In addition to discovering that the number of advertisements remained incredibly high despite all the restrictions, the study understood that roughly 9% of all ads promoted unlicensed sportsbooks.
The Premier League Has Been Inundated with Ads
GamblingNews just reported that the study highlighted an average of 22 gambling ads per minute during the Premier League’s opening weekend. This totaled to a staggering recorded 27,440 gambling messages between August 15 and 18, the University of Bristol said.
While the total figure showed a slight decline from 2024, it still highlighted an explosive rise in the number of gambling ads in the past decade.
Another concerning trend, however, was the fact that roughly 9% of all ads promoted betting brands that lacked a British license.
13 Offshore Companies Were Behind 8.8% of All Ads
In its study, the University of Bristol suggested that roughly 9% of all ads came from unlicensed operators. Its data shows that 8.6% of all TV ads and 12.1% of the Sky Sports News ads promoted unlicensed operators. This totals to 8.8% of all ads.
The study noted that all ads promoting unlicensed companies came from a total of 13 operators.
Recognizing the dangers of promoting unlicensed gambling, researchers asserted that action must be taken. In the recommendations section of the study, they said that lawmakers should prohibit sponsorship agreements with offshore companies and limit sponsorship and marketing to UK-licensed operators.
The study emphasized that “The Sponsorship Code of Conduct has failed to prevent unlicensed brands, showing the need for government action.”
Peers for Gambling Reform Harshly Critiqued the ASA
In an interview with the BBC, Lord Foster of Bath, chair of Peers for Gambling Reform, slammed the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for its allegedly insufficient efforts in tackling the problem. He called the authority a “toothless organization” that is clearly failing to shield British consumers from harm.
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport agreed that there is more that the government should do to make sure that gambling advertising is in control and doesn’t exacerbate harm.