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Gambling advertising expenditure continued to fall in the UK, led by a steep drop-off in spending on TV ads.
Gambling advertising spend from licensed operators in the UK continues to decline, according to new analysis from the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The research, carried out by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), found that gambling ads will account for just 2.7% of total UK advertising spend in 2024, up from 3% in 2023.
It comes with a warning from industry leaders that unregulated online ads from unregulated, illegal operators are a growing risk to consumers.
Gambling ad spending by licensed operators continues to decline.
Independent analysis commissioned by BGC shows that gambling advertising will account for 2.7% of total UK ad spend in 2024 (from 3% in 2023) and will continue to fall from 2021.
About 20% of ads are safer gambling…
— Betting and Gaming Council (@BetGameCouncil) February 2, 2026
The fall in official gambling ad spending is not a new phenomenon, with spending steadily declining since 2021 to map a drop of 1.7% per year. The main driver for this reduction was a £30 million reduction in spending on TV ads.
The report includes warnings that illegal operators are increasingly using unregulated waysuch as influencers, search engines and AI-generated content, to target consumers, including people who may be at risk of gambling-related harm. Many operators clearly emphasize the fact that they are ‘not on GAMSTOP’, thus seeking to appeal to those who are already at risk of gambling addiction.
Advertising is shifting to focus on player protection
In addition, a huge shift in the sector is putting ad spend towards player protection, with 20% of all UK gambling adverts now focused on the safer gambling message. This growth has seen results in engagement, with 14% more people setting deposit limits and 22% safer gambling devices in place during last year’s Safer Gambling Week.
“This independent analysis shows that gambling advertising by licensed operators continues to fall, with spending increasingly concentrated on safer gambling messaging and consumer protections,” said Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council. “Our members operate within some of the strictest advertising rules of any industry and continue to raise standards across the sector.
“On the contrary, illegal operators advertise aggressively online with no safeguards, no age checks and no consumer protections, putting consumers at great risk. dealing with the harmful black market.”
Featured image: Unsplash
The post Gambling advertising spend continues to fall in UK led by £30M drop in TV ads first appeared in ReadWrite.
