ASA Under Fire over Failure to Act on Gambling Content Marketing

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) faces renewed scrutiny from Peers for Gambling Reform (PGR), which has accused the watchdog of failing to tackle gambling advertising on social media. In a scathing letter sent to ministers and regulators on 11 September, the group accused the ASA of repeatedly delaying action on “content marketing.” This online promotional activity aims to engage a broader audience without appearing as traditional advertising.

Content Marketing Skirts Current Advertising Regulations

The PGR, a cross-party group with more than 150 members of the House of Lords under its umbrella, noted that gambling operators were increasingly promoting their brands via shareable memes, jokes, and viral video clips, often visible to young people. According to research from the University of Bristol, content marketing appeals to under-18s four times more than to adults. 

A weekend snapshot last year showed the ten largest operators generated over 20 million views through content marketing. According to Lord Foster of Bath, chair of PGR, the ASA has continuously failed to act despite researchers and campaigners raising alarms since 2019. Lord Foster also drew attention to studies revealing how early exposure to gambling can lead to long-term harm.

Children and young people remain exposed to forms of gambling advertising that… are especially harmful, and that the regulator has consistently failed to address.

PGR letter

The letter also highlighted the ASA’s admission that, until recently, it considered much of this material to be outside its remit because operators posting the content were registered overseas. While the authority reversed its position in 2022, the PGR says the regulator’s approach has remained inconsistent, with many posts still escaping scrutiny.

The ASA Pledged to Expand Its Enforcement

PGR is calling for all gambling-related social media posts to carry a prominent “Advertising” label, allowing users to identify promotional materials more clearly. The group has also called on ministers to consider a complete ban on gambling content marketing, arguing that it normalizes betting culture among children and could undermine existing protection efforts.

In response, the ASA stated that it considers child protection a core facet of its operations. A watchdog spokesperson drew attention to the extension of the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code, expanding its scope to cover even more online content. According to the ASA, this move would give it greater room to tackle potentially irresponsible gambling ads.

Critics, however, argue that this update has come too late, after years of exposure of young audiences to unlabelled and potentially harmful material. With the government white paper promising to toughen standards throughout the industry, campaigners argue that urgent action is now required to close what they see as one of the most glaring loopholes in advertising regulation.