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The Betting and Gaming Council has announced new measures that will further protect under-18s from digital media advertisements.
The Standards Body, which represents UK regulated betting industries, announced that changes will be published in Seventh Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising.
The new code will also extend the existing commitment that 20% of all TV and radio ads are devoted to messages about safer gambling to digital media.
BGC members are already taking major steps to ensure that only those who can legally bet online will see marketing of regulated gaming and betting products.
The previous rules required that all social media ads, whether sponsored or paid-for, be directed at consumers over 25 years old unless the website could prove it can target its ads precisely at adults over 18.
The new guidelines will extend the 25+ rule to all digital platforms that provide an age filter.
The BGC is determined to raise standards in the betting and gambling industry.
Some of the other measures that have been introduced are the ban on television gambling ads, cooling periods for gaming machines, deposit limits and new ID and age checks.
BGC has also issued a code of conduct that prohibits football clubs from using their popular social media accounts to post direct marketing on betting sites and odds.
BGC members also took the lead in pushing social media platforms for the public to be able to opt out of receiving gambling and betting advertising online. BGC Chief Executive Michael Dugher urged DCMS to exert more pressure on social media platforms earlier this year.
Stuart Andrew, MP for DCMS, has confirmed that he will convene an event to drive change.
BGC members have zero tolerance for betting by children. According to “Young People and Gambling Report 2022” by the Gambling Commission, the most popular betting forms for children are arcade games such as penny pusher and claw grabber machines (22%), bets made between friends (15%) and playing cards for cash (5%) – but not with BGC Members.
Michael Dugher is the chief executive officer of the BGC. He said: “As a standards body in the regulated industry, we are committed and determined to continue to raise standards and bring about major changes to the betting and gambling industry. Our number one priority is to protect children.
“BGC members have taken steps to ensure that adverts from our members reach only the right audience. We can achieve even more with more support from the platforms.
“Safer gambling messages are also essential. The goal is to ensure that the customers are using safer gambling tools, such as deposit limits and timeouts. But it’s also important to point out the available help for the small minority of gamblers that may be having problems with their gaming and betting.
The new edition of the IGRG Code demonstrates our commitment to maintaining standards that are as high and as rising as possible.
BGC collaborated with Bacta and Bingo Association, as well as the Lotteries Council in order to develop these new rules. This was done by a multi-industry effort.
Around 22.5million UK adults place a wager each month. The UK’s regulated gaming and betting industry contributes PS7.1bn (GVA) to the UK economy and generates PS4.2bn of taxes that fund public services. It also supports around 110,000 jobs throughout the country.
The number of children aged 11-16 who gambled in the past week has dropped from 23% to 7% (GC Young People and Gambling Report 2022).
