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Gambling Advertising
23 April 2026
Lead MP
Alex Ballinger
Halesowen
Lab
Responding Minister
Lilian Greenwood
Tags
Culture, Media & Sport
Word Count: 12756
Other Contributors: 4
At a Glance
Alex Ballinger raised concerns about gambling advertising in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The speaker asks for an assessment of the cumulative imp [3D [K impact of gambling advertising exposure on children and young people and wh [2D [K whether further action is being considered to reduce this exposure across v [1D [K various environments. The Government should reflect on the case for a more [K precautionary public health-led approach that prioritizes child protection. [11D [K protection.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The speaker is concerned about the widespread and so [2D [K sophisticated nature of gambling advertising in the UK, which spends £2 bil [3D [K billion annually. This includes exposure via television, football stadiums, [9D [K stadiums, local radio, social media, and video games played by children. Th [2D [K The debate highlights that 79% of children have seen gambling adverts, with [4D [K with 64% on TV and 74% online. Research shows that thousands of gambling me [2D [K messages appear during sports matches despite the whistle-to-whistle ban, i [1D [K indicating a failure in regulation to protect children from exposure.
Beccy Cooper
Lab
Worthing West
Questions the success of voluntary agreements in reg [3D [K regulating gambling and suggests that more should be done through non-volun [9D [K non-voluntary regulations, noting Britain's position as one of the least re [2D [K regulated countries for gambling advertising. As a public health consultant, Beccy Cooper argued t [1D [K that gambling advertising is pervasive and potentially harmful. She highlig [7D [K highlighted that 79% of children and young people recall seeing gambling ad [2D [K ads across multiple channels and that one quarter of gamblers have responde [8D [K responded directly to advertising, rising to almost four fifths among high- [5D [K high-risk individuals. Cooper also pointed out the need for better regulati [8D [K regulation of both legal and illegal gambling markets, drawing parallels wi [2D [K with efforts in tobacco control.
Esther McVey
Con
Tatton
Highlights the rapid growth of unregulated black mar [3D [K market gambling and warns that focusing on licensed operators could lead to [2D [K to a boom in illegal markets. Cites statistics showing the global scale of [K unregulated gambling. Asked the Liberal Democrat MP to clarify discrepanci [11D [K discrepancies in the Gambling Commission's public log regarding corrections [11D [K corrections of statistics, pointing out inconsistencies mentioned earlier i [1D [K in the debate. I ask this question through the Minister, as she obv [3D [K obviously does not have the relevant figures because she is not the Gamblin [7D [K Gambling Minister. What has been the growth of illegal gambling in the UK i [1D [K in the last few years? As I understand it, there has been a considerable in [2D [K increase in the illegal market.
Louie French
Con
Old Bexley and Sidcup
Discussed the impact of gambling regulation on jobs, [5D [K jobs, sponsorship for British sport, and the growth of illegal black market [6D [K market. Emphasized the importance of finding a balanced approach that prote [5D [K protects consumers while recognizing the contributions of the regulated sec [3D [K sector. Highlighted the role of advertising in shaping consumer choices wit [3D [K without driving participation overall. I appreciate that the hon. Lady is covering for anot [4D [K another Minister. However, I made the point in a previous debate that the G [1D [K Government seem to be saying that they are keen to reduce the harm to child [5D [K children from gambling and that they particularly recognise the issue of so [2D [K social media, which I raised in my speech today. Why do they not just back [K the Conservative party's proposed ban on social media for under-16s? On fin [3D [K financial risk assessments, also known as affordability checks, will the Mi [2D [K Minister pass on a query relating to the gambling White Paper? My understan [9D [K understanding from the previous Gambling Minister and from the then shadow [K Gambling Minister, who is now the Sports Minister, was that the checks coul [4D [K could go ahead only if they were truly frictionless, hence the pilot. Can t [1D [K the Government confirm whether the Gambling Commission has the authority to [2D [K to proceed if that is not the will of Parliament?
Victoria Collins
Liberal Democr [6D [K Democrat
Harpenden and Berkhamsted
Discussed the public health issues associated with g [1D [K gambling advertising, highlighting the financial and social costs including [9D [K including £1.4 billion annual economic drain and over 400 gambling-related [K suicides annually. Emphasised the prevalence of gambling debt among gambler [7D [K gamblers and exposure to targeted ads on social media for young people.
Government Response
Lilian Greenwood
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs [3D [K Mrs Harris. I am pleased to respond to this debate, standing in for my righ [4D [K right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray). I begin by c [1D [K congratulating my hon. Friends the Members for Halesowen and Worthing West [K on securing this debate and setting out their concerns so clearly and thoug [5D [K thoughtfully. We have had a genuine debate with an exchange of different vi [2D [K viewpoints on this important issue. The Government are committed to support [7D [K supporting a gambling industry that is modern, responsible and sustainable, [12D [K sustainable, while also enhancing protections for those at risk of harm. Si [2D [K Since the election, we have introduced robust rules in place to regulate ga [2D [K gambling advertising, including mandatory codes enforced by the Advertising [11D [K Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the voluntary industry code for s [1D [K socially responsible advertising. These measures include prohibitions on ga [2D [K gambling advertising during pre-watershed televised broadcast of live sport [5D [K sports events, banning operators from bundling different gambling products [K into single incentives, and requiring customers to opt-in to specific types [5D [K types of marketing they wish to receive. The Gambling Commission has also i [1D [K introduced new controls, such as a ban on front-of-shirt sponsorship in the [3D [K the Premier League and restrictions on influencer marketing with large unde [4D [K underage followings. An additional £26 million has been allocated to the Ga [2D [K Gambling Commission to tackle illegal gambling advertising over the next th [2D [K three years. We will continue to explore measures to protect young people f [1D [K from online harms and consult on banning sports sponsorship by unlicensed o [1D [K operators, further protecting vulnerable consumers from the unregulated ill [3D [K illegal market. We are also working with platforms and industry to measure [K the effectiveness of these rules and identifying ways to clamp down on ille [4D [K illegal advertising. The Government introduced a statutory gambling levy ra [2D [K raising £120 million in its first year for independent research into preven [6D [K prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms, which includes research [8D [K research on the impacts of gambling advertising.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.