UK MPs call for gambling sponsorship code

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has rejected calls for a ban on gambling ads but wants a reduction in ads at stadiums.

UK.- The UK parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee has recommended that sports governing bodies such as the Premier League limit gambling adverts at stadiums. It called for a reduction to “minimise children’s exposure to gambling advertising” as well as an increase in the amount of space dedicated to promoting safer gambling initiatives.

Premier League clubs have agreed a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship from 2026, but the committee has called for a “more precautionary approach”. It has recommended the creation of a code for sports sponsorship.

Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage MP said: “More should be done to shield both children and people who have experienced problem gambling from what often seems like a bombardment of advertising branding at football and other sporting events.”

She added: “The Government needs to go further than the proposals in the White Paper and work with sports governing bodies on cutting the sheer volume of betting adverts people are being exposed to.”

The report recognises horse and greyhound racing as exceptions due to their historic links with betting.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) largely welcomed the report. It said: “We welcome the publication of the CMS Committee Report and its findings which reject proposals for a blanket ban on advertising which would harm our best-loved sports like horseracing and football.

“BGC agree with the Committee that the Sport Sponsorship Code, which will further drive up standards, should be published without delay. The sporting bodies have, frankly, been dragging their feet.”