Labor MP for Leeds Central and Headingley Alex Sobel has asked publicly owned Channel 4 to stop broadcasting gambling advertisements in the context of the repeated calls for the introduction of a blanket ban across all TV stations.
Questions regarding the odds of Channel 4 deciding to implement the ban will be raised during a series of fringe meetings at the upcoming Labor Party’s Annual Conference this week in Liverpool.
“I Am Asking That You Consider a Full Ban on Gambling Advertising”
As per data from an exclusive report from The Independent, the MP sent a letter to Channel 4’s chief executive officer, Alex Mahon, urging them to stop agreeing to paid ads from gambling operators.
The main reason why Sobel chose Channel 4 for the request is the fact that the broadcaster is still publicly owned, in spite of Boris Johnson’s plans to change its status to private-owned two years ago.
The idea was later dropped at the start of 2023. The timing for the MP’s letter was also picked amid the ongoing requests for a ban on gambling adverts.
In his heartfelt letter, Sobel emphasized the majority of the UK public’s support for the complete eradication of gambling ads, taking the opportunity to ask Mahon to “consider a full ban on gambling advertising on Channel 4” which he described as a “broadcaster known to challenge the status quo” which has used it “radical voice” in the last four decades.
Sobel also wrote in the letter that he had formulated the same request in the past, in an informal manner, expressing eagerness to keep working together to continue their “positive legacy” and “help mitigate the worst effects of gambling harm.”
Operators Spend £2bn a Year on Advertising
According to the previously mentioned report, gambling operators spend roughly £2 billion ($2.66 billion) a year on advertising, mostly due to the impressive growth of online forms of gambling.
The expenditure comes despite growing concerns that individuals under 18 are faced with too much exposure to content related to betting.
A new report commissioned by leading independent charity and strategic commissioner of gambling harm education, prevention, early intervention, and treatment across Great Britain, GambleAware, has revealed around 1.6 million children in the UK live in households where they are exposed to gambling-related problems faced by at least one adult.
According to the same report, children who are familiar with gambling are four times more prone to experience the same type of gambling harm as the adults in their lives, when compared to youngsters who have never been exposed to gambling.
Problem Gamblers, 40X More Likely to Bet After Watching Ads
Sobel also highlighted the potential consequences of gambling harm, including “falling into debt, loss of employment, family breakdown, health problems and – in the most extreme cases – death.”
He also spoke about the exponential expansion of gambling ads in the last few years, explaining more exposure to advertising is particularly risky to those who are already dealing with a gambling problem, as they are “almost 40 times more likely than the general public to bet more as a result of seeing them.”
The MP also spoke about an increase in the number of gambling ads aimed at women. According to a 2022 report from the Gambling Commission, the number of gambling women has reached an all-time high.
The ongoing pressure on the UK government has led to a series of changes in terms of gambling ad regulations, including a decision to diminish audiences’ exposure to these ads.
In April 2023, Premier League clubs voted for a voluntary ban on gambling shirt sponsorships from the end of the 2025-26 campaign which is expected to generate losses of roughly £126 million ($167.8 million) combined.