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- New measures to come into play ahead of 2022 Fifa World Cup
- Betting companies banned from showing teams’ kits, stadiums and video game content
The UK’s Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has announced plans to ban betting adverts from featuring sports stars and social media influencers.
The move comes as part of a wide-ranging list of new regulations that are intended to reduce the appeal of gambling industry marketing in the under-18 age category.
In addition, betting firms will be prevented from including teams’ official kits and stadiums in any potential campaigns, as well as showing video game content.
New legislation states that gambling adverts should not ‘be likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture’.
The rules apply to broadcast media, online and in print publications, as well as billboards and posters.
These measures will kick in from 1st October ahead of the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, which gets underway in November. The international soccer showpiece is a major draw for gamblers.
The UK’s advertising governing body, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), says that on average children in the UK see more than two commercials per week for betting products and services.
“The days of gambling ads featuring sports stars, video game imagery and other content of strong appeal to under-18s are numbered,” said Shahriar Coupal, director of CAP.
“By ending these practices, our new rules invite a new era for gambling ads, more particular to the adult audience they can target and more befitting of the age-restricted product they’re promoting.
“This might not seem immediately significant but its effect – particularly in a World Cup year – will be dramatic. By ending these practices, our new rules invite a new era for gambling ads, more particular to the adult audience they can target and more befitting of the age-restricted product they’re promoting.”
The issue of betting brands in UK sports sponsorship remains unsettled ahead of a potential shake up. The British government is considering a blanket ban on shirt sponsorship deals with gambling firms as part of broader reforms.
