According to a study commissioned by 5 News, football fans received 11,000 gambling messages during the opening weekend of the latest Premier League season. This alarming figure highlights the pervasive presence of betting imagery in the game, leading to concerns about its overwhelming and inescapable nature. While the top-flight clubs have pledged to ban gambling firms from sponsoring the front of players’ shirts from 2025, the research suggests that this measure may not have the desired effect due to the saturation of football with other gambling messages. The report also raises concerns about the volume of gambling messages, inadequate safer gambling messaging, and social media content that is not clearly labelled as advertisements.
The study analyzed social media posts, as well as hours of TV and radio coverage, and uncovered several key issues. Over the opening weekend of the Premier League, six live matches broadcast on TV showed viewers 6,966 gambling messages. Shockingly, only a fifth of these messages were accompanied by a message promoting safer gambling. Social media also played a significant role, with 1,902 gambling ads seen 34 million times during the same weekend. The study found that 92% of “content marketing” posts by gambling firms, which discuss or describe match action, were not clearly identifiable as advertising, potentially breaching advertising regulations. Furthermore, 600 gambling messages were shown during just two hours of broadcasting on Sky Sports News, and TalkSport featured at least one gambling ad during every commercial break.
The Premier League’s proposed ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship by gambling firms has faced skepticism, and the study further casts doubt on its effectiveness. While the measure was introduced voluntarily by the 20 top-flight clubs, it is unlikely to significantly reduce the frequency of gambling messages, as it fails to address other locations such as pitchside hoardings. The decision to ban front-of-shirt sponsors was prompted by concerns about children’s exposure to gambling and previous instances of players being punished for betting on the game. The report includes testimonials from players, such as Ivan Toney and Michael Chopra, who have spoken publicly about their addiction and how gambling sponsorship exacerbates the issue.
The UK government published a white paper on gambling regulation earlier this year but did not take any action on advertising or football sponsorship. However, research has consistently shown that there is a substantial evidence base supporting advertising restrictions to reduce exposure to gambling advertising. While the gambling minister claims there is little evidence of a link between ads and gambling-related harm, the growing body of research suggests otherwise. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has affirmed that robust rules are already in place to ensure responsible gambling advertising and that the Premier League will ban front-of-shirt sponsorship from the end of the 2025/26 season. The gambling industry trade body, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), asserts that its members are committed to dedicating 20% of TV and radio advertising to safer gambling messages and will do the same with digital advertising. The BGC also argues that sponsorship should not be considered marketing.
In conclusion, the study’s findings highlight the pervasive nature of gambling messages in football and raise concerns about the effectiveness of the proposed ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship. With the saturation of football with gambling advertisements, measures that address other locations and platforms are needed to reduce exposure and promote safer gambling practices.
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