Footballers And Celebrities Face Gambling Advertisement Ban
Published Date: 06 Jul, 2022 Updated date: 06 Jul, 2022
By
Phil
The way that advertising happens changes all the time, but of late, it’s footballers, celebrities and influencers who appear to be the route to market.
The way that advertising happens changes all the time, but of late, it’s footballers, celebrities, and influencers who appear to be the route to market. And, where gambling is concerned, whether sports betting or online casinos, these people are often the face of advertising campaigns. But not for much longer.
In the last few years especially, moves have been made to take responsible gambling more seriously after the effects of problem gambling were highlighted in the media via documentaries and reports. And the use of prominent figures from the sporting and influencer worlds was discussed at length. So, it’s no surprise that there will now be an official clamping down by the authorities to prevent footballers, sports stars, celebrities, influencers, and YouTubers from appearing in marketing campaigns for gambling firms.
For gambling companies, it ultimately means they’ll have to box clever if they want their links with sports to continue. The likes of Entain, who recently struck a sponsorship deal with F1 racing’s McLaren using the PartyCasino brand, one of Entain’s best-known online casinos, have the right idea with their arrangements, and others may change tact and follow suit in the coming months. The new rules will come into play at midnight on the first of October later this year, so time is now very much of the essence.
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) devised and introduced the new rules. And not only will they be in place to protect anyone aged under-18 from the dangers of gambling. But there’s also a desire to provide the same to those who are in vulnerable groups too.
Speaking about the upcoming changes, Shahriar Coupal, director of CAP, said, “The days of gambling ads featuring sports starts, video game imagery, and other content of strong appeal to under 18s are numbered.
“By ending these practices, our new rules invite a new era for gambling ads, more particular to the adult audience they can target and more befitting of the age-restricted product they’re promoting.”
One of the most interesting take homes is that the new rules state that anyone, be it a footballer or an influencer, “likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture” will be prohibited from appearing in gambling adverts. And it makes sense, as a lot of prominent people are paid to promote sports betting sites and the like via their social media accounts.
The move by CAP will undoubtedly pay dividends in the long run, protecting potentially millions from being put in a dangerous situation with gambling. However, for operators, it could prove to be a tricky time, especially when you consider the new rules come into force before the World Cup in Qatar begins, which is one of those sporting events that really go hell for leather when it comes to gambling advertisements.