House of Lords to Hold a Debate on the Impact of Gambling Marketing

Amid the ongoing overhaul of the gambling sector in the UK, the House of Lords confirmed its intentions to hold a debate and discuss the impact of gambling marketing. The discussion comes at a time when concerns about excessive gambling and gambling harm continue to mount, while the advertising of gambling services seems to exacerbate those issues. As a result, the House of Lords will hold a debate on April 25, 2024.

MP Daniel Foster, Lord Foster of Bath, proposed the motion for the upcoming debate. During the discussion, the government will be asked: “What assessment they have made of the impact of gambling advertising, marketing and sponsorship on problem gambling, and in particular the risk of exposure to gambling advertising on children.”

Earlier this year, the leading charity that provides information, support and advice for people suffering from problem gambling, GamCare, uncovered details regarding a concerning trend observed throughout last year. In January, the charity confirmed that it had recorded 52,370 online chats and calls in 2023. The data showed an increase of a staggering 24% when compared to the figures recorded a year earlier, in 2022.

“The gambling industry has expanded over recent years and increased attention is being paid to the issue of gambling-related harms and the role that the marketing of gambling services plays in exacerbating them. The House of Lords is due to debate these issues on 25 April 2024,“

reads a statement released by the House of Lords

Changes to the Gambling Laws Come amid Concerns about Excessive Gambling

The planned changes to the UK gambling regulations follow the release of the Gambling Act White Paper which dates back in April 2023. Ultimately, the overhaul of the regulations seeks to ensure the protection of consumers from excessive gambling. While millions of customers enjoy gambling responsibly, there are some who are affected by gambling harm, which prompted lawmakers to take a closer look into the country’s gambling laws.

The upcoming House of Lords debate comes after recently, GambleAware released details regarding a new study that uncovered a blur in the lines between gaming and gambling. The Qualitative Research on the Lived Experience and Views of Gambling among Children and Young People research, conducted by CultureStudio Research, Family Kids & Youth and Sherbert Research, uncovered a concerning trend identified among children, who admitted gambling activities are part of their daily activities.

The research uncovered that many children confirmed they have been exposed to different forms of gambling-like and gambling content from an early age. The exposure of children to gambling is one of the reasons why the UK government considers tough restrictions for gambling ads, not only online but during live sporting events.