English Church backs a TV gambling ad ban

A ban on TV gambling advertising has been proposed in the UK and is being backed by the Church of England.

UK.- British lawmakers are set to discuss a newly-introduced ban on TV gambling advertising in the UK during sports events which is being backed by the Church of England. The measure would restrict bookmakers’ ads from being played an hour before and an hour after sports live broadcasts.

The proposal was introduced on Monday after going through an all-party coalition of political and church leaders in the country. An alliance between Conservative peers and the Labour and Liberal-Democrat parties has been put together, in addition to the Scottish Nationalists and the Church of England. It demands the Government close a loophole allowing operators to target viewers on TV and online with “live odds” on matches that may be watched by children.

According to Lord Chadlington, a Conservative peer which put together the alliance, the UK should take the Australian system that bans ads from gambling companies before, during and after games. He had commissioned his own poll of 2,000 people that showed 58% were supporters of a blanket ban on gambling advertising on all UK channels and platforms.