Bookies halt advertising during lockdown

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has announced that the UK’s biggest bookies will voluntarily halt all television and radio gaming advertising during the coronavirus lockdown.

BGC is the industry standards body which represents betting shops, online betting and gaming, bingo and casinos. Around half the gambling advertising on TV and radio comes from BGC members.

Last week sports minister Nigel Huddlestone wrote to five of the largest gambling firms and asked their chief executives to do more for problem gamblers. 

Football’s relationship with gambling has received increased attention in recent years with 27 of England’s top 44 clubs now featuring a betting logo on their shirt.

BGC chief executive Michael Dugher said: “From day one of this crisis we have sought to protect customers potentially at risk, including announcing stepping up safer gambling measures as part of our ten pledges for Covid-19 in March. 

“Throughout this crisis, as the new standards body, the BGC has worked very closely with the Government. Ministers and the regulator all deserve credit for their steadfast and consistent determination to have an evidence-led approach and to rightly call for higher standards.”

You can read more from the BGC here.

The FSA and GambleAware have teamed up to promote safer gambling around football, educating supporters and clubs around the risks of problem gambing. Have you ever made an impulsive bet you knew you shouldn’t have? Are you worried about your behaviour? 

The National Gambling Helpline is available 24/7. If you need advice or support about your gambling or someone else’s you can call free phone 0808 8020 133 or talk to an adviser on live chat.