Fans bombarded with 30,000 gambling adverts in Premier League opening weekend

Football fans were shown around 30,000 gambling messages in the opening weekend of the Premier League season last month, almost triple the 11,000 reported for the same period last year.

Academics at the University of Bristol, who were behind the research, warned that the findings showed “an industry out of control” and putting young and vulnerable people at risk.

Content warning: This article contains references to suicide that may be disturbing

The researchers reported 29,145 gambling messages on TV, radio and social media during games and related reports. The messages included advertisements, and some offered free badges – but also carried promotional material such as the use of company logos.

Most were seen during the broadcast of the games. About 24,000 gambling messages were reported, a 240 percent increase over the previous year when 6,966 were displayed.

The game that saw the most gambling messages was West Ham United vs Aston Villa on 17 August. In total, 6,491 logos and ads were broadcast during the game, which equates to about 30 per minute. This is almost double the average number recorded per game before.

The University of Bristol’s findings come at a time of growing public concern about the popularity of the industry within football because of the effects gambling can have.

It is estimated that 2.5 percent of adults have struggled with a “gambling problem”, according to the Gambling Survey of Great Britain (GSGB). This would equate to 1.3 million people with a gambling problem.

The Gambling Commission has said that gambling can damage a person’s health, well-being, finances and relationships. They can lose their jobs, go into deep debt, turn to crime, see relationships break down, and in extreme cases, some commit suicide.

It has been agreed by the Premier League that gambling companies will be banned from subsidizing the first-team from the summer of 2026.

In July, the Premier League worked with the Gambling and Sports Council to develop a voluntary code of conduct for betting sponsorship deals, including ensuring that children and vulnerable people are protected from such advertising.

However, Dr Raffaello Rossi, lead author of the Bristol study, said the evidence suggested the Premier League code had little impact.

He said: “This new evidence shows how out of control the industry has become with the gambling advertising that is now sweeping the Premier League.

“It is clear that the industry’s efforts at self-regulation, be it the football industry or the gambling industry, are inadequate and futile.”

Peter Shilton OBE, a former England footballer, developed a gambling problem and his wife, Stephanie, is a supporter of research.

He described the findings as “shocking and disturbing”, and said: “Gambling advertising during football events has become a constant. What worries us most is the impact on children exposed to gambling advertising to an unacceptable degree.”

The study also found gambling ads and content were viewed more than 24 million times on social media, although this was down from last year’s figure of 34 million.

The University of Bristol wrote to the Advertising Standards Authority, in a letter shared with ireports 100 online ads for potential ad violations.

A spokesperson for the ASA said they were reviewing the materials passed on to them.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who chairs a cross-party parliamentary group examining the dangers of gambling, said the findings show that gambling advertising, sponsorship laws and markets need to be changed.

He said: “This shocking evidence shows us that as I have warned before, the industry cannot be trusted to regulate itself.

The Gambling Commission previously advised the government that “planned action in terms of advertising and financial support is necessary, especially to ensure that children and people who may be at risk are significantly reduced exposure.”

The Gambling and Gaming Council said the industry complies with advertising regulations and promotes safe gambling. “Images to help those concerned about their gambling are displayed frequently and clearly,” said a spokesman.

A Government spokesman said: “We recognize the harmful impact gambling can have on individuals and their families and are fully committed to strengthening protections for those at risk.

“Ministers are currently considering a comprehensive gambling policy, including advertising and funding, and will be updated in due course.”

The ASA spokesperson said: “Protecting people from the dangers that may be related to advertising is an important thing that is always there for us. We always do our part to monitor and deal with limited gambling advertising that breaks our rules with a focus on the need to protect – from harm or abuse – children, young people and other people the vulnerable.”

The Premier League said it was working with clubs to implement a code of conduct.

Watching footy gambling adverts is ‘extreme torture’

Annie Ashton, 43, is the widow of Luke Ashton, who died of a gambling-related suicide in 2021, aged 40. He started betting on football on weekends to socialize with friends but became and a gambling problem that eventually led to his suicide. .

Gambling with Lives, a charity founded by families of gambling-related suicides, estimates that there are hundreds of gambling-related suicides each year.

“Luke was a keen Leicester City supporter and took our young son to every home game,” Annie said. i.

“When Luke died, I wanted to continue taking our son to see his team, but what was meant to be a fun experience, soon started to feel very uncomfortable. I realized how hard it must have been for Luke, he kept seeing the announcements of something that harmed him shining in the field.

For us, they were constant reminders of what killed him. For anyone who has a problem with gambling today, I’m sure that this ever-increasing amount of gambling advertising in sports like football must be extreme torture.

“Gambling in football is wrong, and to hear that supporters, including young children, are seeing three times as much gambling as they did last year is testament to that. It’s clear that Premier League clubs are more concerned about money than they are about games and their loyal supporters.

“This is a bad look for the clubs, who obviously will not stop their greedy gambling deals voluntarily. The government must intervene.

“Gambling ads make people addicted to alcohol which can lead to suicide. Football clubs are marketing products that kids will grow up thinking are safe and fun to use, and that’s wrong.

“Most people don’t want to see gambling ads in any environment and this is especially true for football.”

• For advice and confidential support, the Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org