Government backs industry's plan for ban on adverts during live sports events

The government on Thursday welcomed plans put forward by leading betting operators to end gambling advertising during live sporting events.

As revealed last week in the Racing Post, members of the Remote Gambling Association, which include all the best-known operators in the industry, plan to no longer show betting adverts from five minutes before a live event until five minutes after it has finished.

Jeremy Wright MP, secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, said: "[This is a] welcome move from gambling firms today on an advertising ban during live sport.

"[I'm] pleased to see the industry responding to concerns raised and helping to protect children and vulnerable people from risks of gambling related harm."

The voluntary ban, from which horseracing is exempt, applies to all pre-watershed sporting events and comes following intensive political and public pressure on gambling firms.

Culture secretary Jeremy Wright welcomed the move

The proposal from the RGA echoes a similar statement put forward by the Labour Party and shadow culture secretary Tom Watson MP said: "I'm delighted that gambling operators have adopted Labour's proposal of a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling advertising during live sport.

"There was clear public support for these restrictions and I'm glad that for once the industry, led by the Remote Gambling Association, has taken its responsibilities seriously and listened."

Speaking to the Racing Post last week, Clive Hawkswood, the outgoing chairman of the RGA, had warned betting advertising was the next big issue for the industry after the FOBTs crackdown.

He said: "We've got to do something noticeable, something that makes a change, something that addresses those concerns, particularly where children are concerned."

Final ratification is needed from the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG) before the ban comes into force. It is hoped it will be agreed by early next year with a six-month lead-in to the 2019-20 football season.

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