Changes Ahead for UK Gambling Industry
Big changes look to be on the way to the UK Gambling industry. British football clubs that have sponsorship from gambling companies may soon find such links banned. This comes as the concerns over problem gambling continue to rise.
It’s a similar problem as to the banning of tobacco sponsorship in sport. At one time, you couldn’t move for events and teams that were receiving money from tobacco companies. Whether it was the Benson and Hedges Cup in cricket or the Embassy World Snooker championships, the links were strong. They came to an end though and now the gambling sponsorship deals face the same situation, informs the British sports betting deals aggregator Offers.Bet UK.
Many Premier League and Championship sides in England have some form of sponsorship deal with a gambling company. Go to a Newcastle United home game and two things will be certain. Watching the home side win is a rare occurrence and you’ll be able to go a betting kiosk.
Shirt sponsorship is also common, and this is where the problems start. Those who are opposed to such links want this to be ended as soon as possible. Their fear is that this promotes gambling and can also lead to under-18s becoming gamblers in later life.
Many of the sponsorship deals don’t include any direct contact with those not old enough to gamble. The criticism continues, even within the sport of football. The BBC reported that League One side Bolton Wanderers have said they won’t enter into any deals with gambling companies. Forest Green Rovers, who top League Two, are totally against links with the gambling industry. It’s not easy for either club considering the English Football League is sponsored by Sky Bet.
Change is on its way though. The 2005 Gambling Act is being reviewed at present. The UK Gambling Commission and other bodies such as Public Health England, have been busy gathering evidence. The government will take the mass of information into consideration as part of the review.
It’s not just sponsorship of sports clubs that is of concern. At the worst of the pandemic, there was pressure put on gambling companies to reduce their advertising. Figures for online gambling did increase. That was hardly surprising considering betting shops and casinos were closed for long periods of times. What wasn’t wanted by the UK Gambling Commission was gambling companies taking advantage of the situation.
The number of gambling related advertising on television and other medias is also of great concern. There have been a very high number in the past. As soon as a live game reached the half-time stage, it was seconds before Ray Winstone appeared with the latest betting advert.
The gambling industry have agreed to reduce the number that are shown at certain times. The review of the 2005 Gambling Act is likely to see more restrictions placed on how many can be shown.
Problem gambling is just that. It’s a problem that is on the rise in the UK and more needs to be done to address it. Online gambling sites do offer their customers plenty of information on the subject.
More is likely to be imposed in the future with emphasis on deposit limits, self-exclusion and some of the bonuses that are offered, especially VIP ones. An interesting time lies ahead for the UK gambling industry.
