To ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky Sports, BT Sport, Talksport, Global Radio, Acast, Stakhanov

To ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky Sports, BT Sport, TalkSPORT, Global Radio, Acast, Stakhanov

To whom it may concern,

Suspend all European Championship based gambling advertising for the duration of the tournament.

We are writing to you from The Big Step (www.the-bigstep.com), a campaign project formed and run by people who have suffered gambling harm. We are part of Gambling with Lives (www.gamblingwithlives.org), a charity set up by bereaved family members and friends who have lost loved ones to gambling-related suicide. The Big Step started in 2019 as a fundraising walk to raise awareness of gambling addiction and its links with football. Since then, we have held several more walks, each growing in scope and size, some of which have been kindly covered by some of yourselves. We are extremely grateful for the support you have shown us as a broadcaster, including helping us raise awareness of the issue affecting millions of people in the UK.

Our vision is a world free of gambling-related suicides and our work is dedicated to saving as many lives as possible. We are recommending all parties take a population-wide public health-focused approach to gambling harms, which would mean gambling is tolerated, but not promoted. Whilst we support adults right to bet should they wish, gambling advertising has no public health benefit and contributes to harm, yet it is nearly impossible to watch or listen to football without being exposed to it. There is overwhelming evidence (www.caga.uk/evidence) about the impact of advertising on people’s propensity to gamble, in particular children and young people.

With the rescheduled 2020 European Championships taking place this summer and the country still in the midst of an unprecedent global pandemic, we are writing to you today to ask you to suspend all European Championship based gambling advertising for the duration of the tournament.

Unfortunately, we all know all too well how and where to put a but a bet on should we wish – suspending gambling advertising on TV would not affect this in the slightest. What it would do, is protect those most at risk of suffering gambling-related harm. Indeed, a recent study found that 54% of those classified as ‘problem gamblers’ had spent money they weren’t previously intending to on gambling during the lockdown as a result of advertising.

The tournament has been a long time coming and after a tough time for the country, fans should be able to enjoy it without being on the end of gambling advertising, especially given the pressures of the pandemic. The last year has put the whole nation under significant strain, with anxiety, loneliness and financial insecurity all rising, and we strongly believe that these factors contribute to increased risk of suffering gambling harms.

In April 2020, after rising public and political concern, the Betting and Gaming Council agreed to a temporary voluntary ban on all TV and radio advertising for its members. Whilst not absolute, this ‘ban’ was, at the very least, an admission from the industry that gambling adverts are harmful.

Promoting gambling, including products with addiction rates of up to 50%, is a huge contradiction to the good work that football does, and we are concerned that this normalisation is creating a generation of young fans who think they have to bet to watch or listen to a game. There are at least 55,000 children already addicted to gambling in the UK, part of an estimated 1.4 million people suffering from a gambling disorder. A 2020 study found that 96% of people aged 11–24 had seen gambling advertising, including on television, in the last month, and were more likely to place a bet as a result.

Once introduced to gambling through its association with football and advertising, gamblers are often cross-sold much more addictive – and profitable – products, such as online slots and casino games, with addiction rates up to 50%, which are available online 24 hours a day.

The industry employs predatory practices such as ‘VIP’ schemes, which use targeted data and inducements to keep high-spending customers gambling vast, unsustainable amounts of money. Just this week, Flutter, parent company of Paddy Power, who frequently ran TV, Radio and Podcast ads during the 2018 World Cup, were accused in High Court of plying an addicted gambler with free tickets to Arsenal matches and the Grand National, despite him displaying clear signs of severe addiction. The man in question was able to stake up to £548,000 in single day and was allowed to carry on gambling with no interventions or welfare checks.

We sincerely hope that the current review of the 2005 Gambling Act will address the clear and obvious failings of current online regulation, where over three-quarters of gambling marketing spend is currently targeted. However, we should not overlook the crucial ‘hook’ role that TV, Radio & Podcast advertising plays in this process of addiction. Brand awareness is integral to gambling firms’ success and many of the companies who advertise on TV also using predatory ‘VIP’ schemes.

Gambling marketing, particularly TV, radio and podcast adverts, also creates a false narrative that everybody takes part in this harmless, everyday pastime, which creates a barrier for treatment for people like us, people who are struggling because they are told this is a normal, legitimate and fun leisure activity. Consequently, they think they are somehow faulty, when the reality is anyone using addictive products can become addicted. As a result, fewer than 2% of gambling addicts access treatment.

The negative consequences of gambling are not just about addiction; a recent report by Oxford University found that one in four gamblers are experiencing gambling harms and people who bet even relatively small sums are more likely to suffer financial hardship and unemployment, while heavier gamblers die earlier. Tragically, there are up to 650 gambling- related suicides every year, with an estimated 19,000 disordered gamblers contemplating taking their own in life in the UK.

During major sporting tournaments, such as the World Cup and European Championships, gambling levels increase. Of course, this is partially due to the sharp increase of televised games on terrestrial TV and on the radio, but also the surge of gambling adverts that are shown and played in conjunction with such tournaments.

During the last World Cup, for example, almost half of all gamblers intended to watch every single game. We note that during the tournament, ITV ran 172 gambling ads during its coverage, equivalent to 17% of total World Cup adverts, with gambling firms such as William Hill increasing their marketing spend by 22%. Marketing that is designed to increase consumption of products that are formulated to maintain a habit inevitably results in over- consumption, or, in simple terms, addiction.

More than £2.36 billion was reportedly bet on the tournament in the UK, more than twice the figure for the 2014 World Cup, with Bet365, William Hill and Paddy Power all reporting revenue increases of around 10%. When you consider that one in four gamblers is suffering serious harm, and that the amount of money spent on gambling has a direct impact on the level of harm suffered, then these increases are seen in a very different light. It is not drastic to assume that over the course of the Euros this year, that there will sadly be lives lost to gambling related suicide.

We understand the final decision for our request lies with the broadcaster or provider, and not Ofcom or the Advertising Standard Authorities, hence writing to you today. As an example, we believe ITV are due to show 19 group stage games on TV, of which 12 (63%) finish before the 9pm watershed. We are adamant that suspending gambling advertising during the tournament will prevent gambling harm, while not impinging on anyone’s freedom to place a bet.

Our request would be in line with the House of Lords recommendations that “advertisements which are objectively seen as offering inducements to people to start or to continue gambling, or which create a sense of urgency about placing bets, should be banned.” We note that gambling adverts, by their very nature, induce customers to gamble. In fact, it is their primary purpose, with bet in-play messages often pushed minutes before kick-off.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. We look forward to your response and welcome further discussion on the matter.

Yours sincerely,

More than 60 people harmed by gambling:

N Ashworth (formerly addicted to online gambling)

Owen Baily (person in recovery from gambling disorder and affected other)

Emily Beck (affected other)

Colin Bland (recovering gambler)

Chrissy Boyce (recovering gambling addict)

Ami Buzzeo (partner of recovering compulsive gambler)

Ricky Calvert-Reeve (recovering gambling addict)

Dan Chandler (recovering gambling addict)

Mark Conway (ex gambling addict)

Nick Craze (Recovered gambling addict)

Darren Crocker (former disordered gambler)

Simon Crocombe (recovering gambling addict)

Colin Darra (affected other)

Julie Darra (affected other)

Sally Dewhirst (affected other)

Eileen Driver (Mother of a son who suffers from a gambling illness)

Simon Dunk (recovering gambling addict)

Tom Fleming (recovering compulsive gambler)

Pauline Foster (affected other)

Chris Gillham (recovering gambling addict)

John Gillham (affected other)

Stacey Goodwin (recovering gambling addict)

James Gordon (gambling addict 2 years in recovery)

Sarah Grant (recovering gambling addict)

Andy Gray (recovering compulsive gambler)

James Grimes (recovering gambling addict)

Janice Grimes (affected other)

Laura Guidi (affected other)

Will Halstead (recovering gambling addict)

Rose Hare (mother of a compulsive gambler in recovery for 2 years)

Jo & Peter Holloway (bereaved parents)

Chris Hulse (former disordered gambler)

Kevin Hulse (affected other)

Tracey Hulse (affected other)

Paul Isherwood (recovering child gambler)

Martin Jones (affected other)

Joshua (lived experience)

Tony Kelly (Founder of RED CARD GAMBLING SUPPORT PROJECT)

Pete Keogh (affected by gambling related suicide...I feel that so many people don’t realise this consequence)

Sadie Keogh (affected by gambling related suicide...I feel that so many people don’t realise this consequence)

Jordan Lea (recovering from gambling disorder)

Chris Lee (former disordered gambler)

Alex Lewis (former disordered gambler)

Kev Mailey (compulsive gambler in recovery)

Karen Melvin (affected other)

Paul Melvin (affected other)

Louise Parente (affected other)

Tony Parente (gambling addict in recovery)

Martin Paterson (suffered from gambling disorder)

Nick Phillips (former disordered gambler)

Ryan Pitcher (recovering from a gambling disorder)

Steve Ramsey (former compulsive gambler)

Charles Ritchie (affected other)

Liz Ritchie (affected other)

Michelle Singlehurst (recovered disordered gambler)

Frank Sumsion (affected other)

Dhruv Singh Tomar (recovering gambling addict)

Steve Watts (affected other)

Terry White (recovering gambling addict)

Elle Wilson (affected other)

Michael Wilson (affected other)

Sam Wood (recovering gambling addict)

Matt Zarb-Cousin (director of Clean Up Gambling)

Supported by:

Parliamentarians:

Carolyn Harris MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm

Ronnie Cowan MP, Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm

Paul Blomfield MP

Stuart McDonald MP

Mark Menzies MP

Clinicians:

Christina Marriott, CEO of the Royal Society for Public Health

Louisa Mason, Senior Policy and Communications Executive at the Gambling Health Alliance