BGC brings tech giants and ad association together to protect youth from harm

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has established a cross-industry Ad Tech Forum bringing major online platforms and operators together to explore ways in which to use technology to protect children and vulnerable people online.

BGC members, such as Flutter, bet365 and William Hill, will collaborate with Advertising Association members and the Lotteries Council, while tech platforms like Meta, Twitter, Google and Snap will provide their input into the forum.

One key area of focus for the initiative will be how data can be deployed to improve age accuracy.

The Sixth Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising will be the foundation for the forum, which suggests that gambling operators must ensure all sponsored or paid for social media adverts are targeted at those aged 25 and over unless it can be proved the adverts meet a standard of age targeting verified by an agreed third party.

Besides this, gambling ads that show up on search engines must make clear that these products are for those aged 18 and above, while the adverts themselves must include safer gambling messages.

Michael Dugher, CEO of the BGC, said: “I am delighted that the BGC has been able to co-ordinate the Ad Tech Forum, which I’m sure will come up with new ways of protecting young people and the vulnerable online.

“Since being set up two years ago, we have worked tirelessly to drive up standards and promote safer gambling, and this is proof of our determination to go even further,” Dugher added.

Stephen Woodford, CEO of the Advertising Association, noted: “We welcome the proactive work by the gambling industry with tech platforms and advertising bodies. It is essential that gambling ads online and in social media meet the highest standards of social responsibility.”

Last week, BGC urged the UK government to put child protection “front and centre” of the forthcoming white paper following the Gambling Act 2005 review.