Scottish Parliament report recommends restrictions on gambling ads

The Scottish Parliament Information Centre has called for a public health approach to gambling.

UK.- A report published by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre proposes new restrictions on gambling advertising and programmes of gambling harm education in schools. The report puts forward a public health approach to gambling comprising measures in four areas.

It finds that there are “few mandatory or legal restrictions on gambling advertisements”, noting that gambling advertising “occurs across a wide range of platforms, including in sports venues, online and on television.”

It claims that “advertising and promotions, including through the sponsorship of sports teams, are regularly received by those considered vulnerable by the Gambling Act 2005. This includes children and those with gambling problems.”

The report mentions that Scottish Women’s Football has chosen to not accept sponsorship promoting gambling or alcohol. The report also considers the question of access and the challenge of online gambling’s 24/7 availability. It suggested that raising the minimum age for gambling could be an option but that “evidence for the potential effectiveness of this approach is lacking”.

It recommends a public health approach under which the government should pay the same level of attention to gambling harms as it does to alcohol, tobacco and drug harms.

The report states: “In Scotland, a public health approach is already taken to reduce harms from alcohol,
tobacco and drug misuse. This involves a wide range of organisations including the NHS and charities, working on education, prevention and early intervention, as well as support and treatment for those experiencing harms.

“A similar approach could be taken to reduce gambling harms to individuals, families, communities and society using evidence to inform policy and health measures.”

The report links gambling with behaviour such as smoking, high-risk alcohol drinking, drug use, poor diet and obesity.

The report also considers public information campaigns but finds “little evidence” that messaging has so far influenced changes in behaviour. It noted that the slogan “When the fun stops, stop” had actually been described as “harmful” by people with experience of harmful gambling before it was dropped.

It also noted that educational programmes should be improved, with limited evidence so far on whether services like the Scottish Gambling Education Hub have been effective.

Gambling harm in Scotland

The report mentions data from the Scottish Health Survey 2021, which found that 0.4 per cent of respondents experienced problem gambling and 6.0 per cent were found to be at some level of risk. It noted that 4.5 per cent were at low-risk and 1.5 per cent at moderate risk.

Some 58 per cent of respondents said they had gambled in the last year, with gambling participation up by 7 per cent from 2012.