New research from the University of Bristol has found that thousands of gambling advertisement breaches occurred during the opening weekend of the Premier League back in mid-August.
The football league kicked off almost two months ago with some explosive games, but the Football Association may be in trouble because of this new study.
According to the university, there were over 27,000 breaches of UKGC gambling advertisement guidelines in the first weekend.
The university alleged that the messages featured during the weekend put children and football fans at high risk due to their advertising.
What Else Did The Research Find?
Many of the advertisements breach official guidelines, which, according to the University of Bristol, underscores the urgent need for gambling reform. The Labour government has previously discussed tightening gambling regulations and increasing taxes. However, the chief executive of betting operator Entain has warned that higher taxes could have damaging effects on the industry.
Researchers analysed four major sports platforms and their coverage, recording over 27,000 gambling messages. While this is slightly more than the 29,000 last year, it remains significantly higher than the 10,000 messages recorded in 2023.
Dr Raffaello Rossi, project lead, argues that self-regulation is failing, with breaches of gambling advertising guidelines at sporting events continuing to rise.
Across the platforms studied, the team calculated more than 21,800 gambling ads, equating to 12.6 ads per minute. The opening match between Wolves and Manchester City alone featured over 5,000 messages.
In the UK, it is common for betting brands to sponsor teams through white-label partnerships, but the volume observed this season is widely regarded as excessive.
Existing restrictions, such as the whistle-to-whistle ban, which only permits betting ads five minutes before kick-off and five minutes after the final whistle, appear to be widely ignored, with gambling logos dominating broadcasts throughout play.
Alarmingly, the study also identified unlicensed operators among the advertisements, accounting for over 2,400 messages.
The research further found an increase in the number of gambling brands featured in Premier League adverts, rising from 31 last year to 43 this year. Loopholes in regulation continue to allow many adverts to slip through, maintaining their visibility in sports broadcasts.
The UK’s reliance on self-regulation has been widely criticised, with calls for government intervention growing louder.
With mounting pressure for reform, it will be interesting to see whether the government takes decisive action that could significantly impact casino and betting advertisements in the future.
