UK gambling advertising declines further amid safety focus

According to Betting and Gaming Council analysis, gambling advertising by licensed operators in the UK continued to decline throughout 2024. Overall marketing spend fell but a greater proportion of remaining budgets was directed towards safer gambling messaging and consumer protection initiatives. The findings suggest that regulated operators are reducing their visibility in the wider advertising market. And at the same time, compliance and player safety requirements are increasing.

Lower marketing spend across regulated operators

Research conducted by Alvarez & Marsal for the Gambling Advertising and Sponsorship Report 2025 shows that gambling advertising accounted for 2.7% of total UK advertising spend in 2024. This was down from 3% the previous year.

Between October 2023 and September 2024, licensed betting and gaming operators spent a combined £1.15bn on advertising and sponsorship. Digital formats took the largest share and accounted for 66.8% of total spend. Broadcast advertising was 29.6% of expenditure and TV was the major part of that.

Television advertising, however, also recorded the steepest decline. Spend fell by around £30m. Despite exemptions allowing limited bingo and sports betting promotion earlier in the day, around 72% of gambling TV adverts still aired after the watershed.

Compared with the 2021–22 period, gambling advertising spend declined at a combined rate of 1.7%. Operators also committed £138m to sponsorship. However, industry representatives pointed to rising compliance costs as a contributing factor to reduced overall spend.

Safer gambling messaging

The report showed player protection was a focus. Around 20% of all gambling advertising focused on safer gambling messaging.

This change appears to be influencing consumer behaviour. During the most recent Safer Gambling Week, the number of players setting deposit limits increased by 14%, while use of safer gambling tools rose by 22%.

Advertising compliance levels also remained high. Upheld rulings by the Advertising Standards Authority applied to fewer than 0.01% of search advertising campaigns and 0.02% of social media campaigns run by licensed operators.

“This independent analysis shows that gambling advertising by licensed operators is continuing to fall, with spend increasingly concentrated on safer gambling messaging and consumer protections. Our members operate within some of the strictest advertising rules of any industry and continue to raise standards across the sector.” – Grianne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council

Economic impact and black market concerns

The report assessed the economic contribution of regulated gambling advertising. Advertising and sponsorship activity supported an average of 9,900 jobs across the advertising, media and creative supply chain. The indirect gross value added was estimated at £506m.

The analysis also warned that removing regulated advertising and sponsorship funding would have wider consequences for the sports and media landscape. This is particularly true for free-to-air coverage of lower-league and grassroots sport.

Concerns were also raised about illegal gambling promotion. Unlicensed operators face none of the UK’s advertising restrictions. They continue to promote heavily through unregulated digital channels. Many who operate outside the UK don’t take part in self-exclusion schemes like GAMSTOP. This increases the potential risk to consumers.