The House of Lords Liaison Committee has recommended a sweeping ban on gambling advertising in the UK, urging the government to act as soon as is “practicable.”
The cross-party committee reached its conclusion after hearing three panels on 17 June, weighing key research-based policy considerations around gambling harm.
The committee’s report summary identifies a core contradiction, stating that reducing gambling harm and facilitating sector growth represent “a fundamental tension within the Government’s approach.”
As a result, the committee has urged the government to abandon its growth objective entirely in favour of a more robust public health stance.
Lord Foster of Bath, speaking on the findings, said: “Children are being failed by a regulatory system built for another era. Gambling marketing is now woven into sport, social media, memes and online content, making it almost impossible to avoid and often difficult even to recognise as advertising.”
Betting & Gaming Council CEO Grainne Hurst pushed back sharply, arguing the “deeply misguided” report risks weakening, rather than strengthening, the protection of players.
The committee estimates that between 1.0 and 1.5 million adults in Great Britain gamble in ways that may be described as problem gambling, experiencing harms ranging from financial strain to relationship breakdown.
At the most severe end of the spectrum, problem gambling correlates directly with mental health deterioration and suicide, according to committee findings.
The report also highlights that the commercial gambling sector relies heavily on a small percentage of high-spending customers, generating disproportionate revenues from economically deprived communities.
Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede, Senior Deputy Speaker and Chair of the House of Lords Liaison Committee, said: “Following up on the work of previous committees is a vital part of effective scrutiny and holding governments to account.”
Lord Ponsonby noted that six years have passed since the initial report and that strong recommendations on gambling advertising have been “largely unaddressed” throughout that period.
Will Prochaska, Director of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads, told reporters: “This report should spur the Burnham government to continue what they’ve started on gambling reform and ban these harmful ads.”
The report, titled Gambling Harm – Time for Action, warns that if Labour are “not serious” about reducing gambling harm, there must be a “determined focus” on targeted policies addressing the most harmful forms of advertising.
This latest report builds on a July 2020 Lords Gambling Industry Committee report, the findings of which were formalised in the 2023 gambling white paper and the statutory gambling levy.
NHS England and its devolved counterparts in Scotland and Wales now hold responsibility for 50% of levy funds, with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities acting as lead commissioner for the prevention portion.
