UK bans celebs from gambling adverts in new crackdown
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Britain on Tuesday said it would ban celebrities including footballers, TV stars and social media influencers, from featuring in gambling adverts to protect young and vulnerable people.
The Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP) said tough new restrictions would apply to high-profile celebrities from October 1 because of their large social media followings.
It comes as British online betting groups, which have boomed on pandemic lockdowns, are under increasing pressure to discourage gamblers at risk of addiction.
Sports people, celebrities and influencers who are “likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture” will be banned from gambling and lottery adverts, CAP said in a statement.
CAP added that the ban included top-flight footballers and reality TV stars like those on dating show Love Island.
“The days of gambling ads featuring sports stars, video game imagery and other content of strong appeal to under-18s are numbered,” noted CAP director Shahriar Coupal.
“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.”
A series of measures have been taken in recent years to tackle gambling addiction in the UK, from banning the use of credit cards for bets to placing warning messages on TV adverts and limiting stakes on slot machines.
The betting age for the national lottery has also been raised to 18 from 16.
