UK Bookmakers Use YouTube to Circumvent Advertising Restrictions

Since 2019, UK law has prohibited gambling advertising during televised football matches. However, according to The Mirror, bookmaking companies are getting around this restriction by integrating ads into highlight videos of games on YouTube.

For example, an advertisement for Bet365 can be seen during highlights of the Liverpool v Real Madrid match on the BT Sport YouTube channel. A similar practice is seen on the competing channel Sky.

This trickery has outraged charities working to prevent problem gambling.

Activists are concerned that young people are more likely to watch videos on YouTube than television broadcasts because they are free.

The Mirror

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) commented on the situation regarding the promotion of betting operators on YouTube. A BGC representative noted that members of the organization adhere to a strict approach to advertising placement and ensure that marketing materials on social media are targeted at consumers over the age of 25.

However, Dr. Raffaello Rossi of the Gambling Harms Research Centre takes a different position.

If we really want to protect children, the whistle-to-whistle ban needs to include social media.

Dr. Raffaello Rossi