Advertising watchdogs begin gambling review
Committees of Advertising Practice and Advertising Standards Authority to conduct "timely" review into gambling advertising
The UK’s advertising authorities have begun an in-depth review into the country’s gambling sector as government concerns mount over both the volume of online gambling advertising and the number of complaints received by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) “ including the Broadcast Committee “ and the ASA are working together on the review, which aims to ensure consumers are properly protected, and CAP assured eGaming Review there were no specific changes planned at this stage.
Stakeholders including the UK Gambling Commission and the Responsible Gambling Trust will be invited to make recommendations for the study, with the results published by the autumn and any changes implemented by the end of 2014.
CAP said the fact the public is exposed to more gambling advertising than ever before, combined with an increase in ministerial interest, meant that a re-examination of gambling advertising was “timely”.
“Alongside this increase in the amount of advertising, there has been an increase in complaints about gambling advertising to the ASA, particularly over the past three years,” CAP said in a statement.
Andy Taylor of CAP’s code policy team told eGaming Review both bodies would liaise closely with key stakeholders to make sure that the most appropriate evidence is included in the review.
“We have no specific changes [to gambling advertising rules] in mind going into this review,” Taylor said. “We will assess all the evidence and discuss with all stakeholders simply to ensure that the rules are proportionate and up to date.”
Meanwhile CAP also published letters it had sent to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding its review plans, as well as to the Gambling Commission.
The study is separate to the one being overseen by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) and involving the Bingo Association, the Association of British Bookmakers, and the British Amusement Catering Trade Association.
Culture secretary Maria Miller requested the RGA reports findings of the review by June at the latest.