Why racing could be the winner if betting ads are booted off TV
In 2016, gambling firms reportedly spent £150 million on TV advertising, but momentum is growing behind a campaign to restrict the spread of betting ads.
The parent company of Ladbrokes Coral this week became the latest big bookmaker to back curbs on gambling advertising on TV. GVC chief executive Kenny Alexander said the firm would back a pre-watershed ban on advertising around sport, echoing a Labour party policy that calls for a 'whistle-to-whistle' ban.
Following the controversy over fixed-odds betting terminals, TV advertising is emerging as the next big crisis facing the betting industry. The Gambling Commission recently warned firms that public concerns over the scale and tenor of advertising represented a "gathering storm" for the industry, with consumers feeling bombarded by ads and children exposed to them from a young age.
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