A recent study led by the University of Bristol has unveiled a sharp rise in gambling-related marketing during the Premier League’s opening weekend. The findings spotlight a nearly threefold increase compared to the same period last year, sparking concern over the effectiveness of industry self-regulation and its impact on fans.
Alarming Increase in Gambling Messages
The investigation recorded 29,145 gambling messages across TV, radio, and social media during the opening weekend, a significant jump from the 10,999 messages counted last year. Additionally, gambling ads on social media were viewed over 24 million times, with 74% of this content not clearly labeled as advertisements, potentially violating advertising regulations.
Calls for Stricter Regulation
The study’s results have led experts, politicians, and former athletes to call for tighter regulations on gambling marketing within football. They argue that the existing self-regulation model fails to adequately protect consumers, particularly children and vulnerable individuals, from excessive exposure to gambling messages.
Dr. Raffaello Rossi, Co-Lead Author of the study, emphasized the severity of the issue: “This new evidence shows how much the industry is out of control – with gambling ads now flooding Premier League coverage. A new code of conduct was published recently to curb marketing during football events, but it has had no impact on the volume whatsoever.
“It’s more than a failure of policy – it’s a failure to protect the public, and the problem has been allowed to proliferate unchecked. We must stop relying on ineffective self-regulation and instead use existing legislation to restrict gambling marketing, as seen in many of our European counterparts.”
Next Steps and Further Actions
In response to these findings, the University of Bristol’s research team has reported over 100 potentially non-compliant social media ads to the Advertising Standards Authority for further investigation.
As discussions continue, the push for more robust regulatory measures gains momentum, aiming to ensure a safer environment for all who engage with Premier League content.
Stay informed as this story develops and as calls for reform in gambling advertisement practices continue to grow.
[…] of Americans recognize gambling as a valuable contributor to the U.S. economy. The AGA survey highlights that 76% of respondents see gambling as beneficial to the economy, with over three-quarters noting its contributions to local economies, […]