Gambling adverts on telly : preying on those who can least afford?

[ListeningQuietly]

Every TV programme has multiple gambling ads
targeted at those who can least afford
including CHILDREN who think they might win

should gambling ads be treated in the same way as other addicted behaviours
and be banned?

@CloudsCanLookLikeSheep no it’s not it’s a strategy which is normalising it for the next generation.
When I worked in retail lots of my male colleagues gambled. They’d be spending £100s a month on it which they couldn’t afford but would encourage each other and even had a group chat about it.

I thought that it was wrong when they were first allowed on tv and am even more against it now that they are so frequent. It's a worry that gambling has become so normalised.

The advent of online gambling is another major problem. It must have been harder to become addicted when you had to make the effort to walk into the local bookies.

It's the lifestyle which is designed to appeal to different groups. In the daytime it is aimed bored women home with small children 'fun with friends'. Late at night it's aimed at wannabe urban sophisticates (no you're not, you're sat on your bed in your pants)

Gnome Spot on. None of the adverts show a lonely person in the dark hunched over their phone, which is the reality of online gambling. It's always girl-next-door type women having a laugh together, or James Bond style blokes posing around a roulette wheel.

The problem with that type of gambling is that players are utterly at the mercy of the online algorithm - which can monitor their behaviour and adjust itself to coax the maximum amount of money out of the gambler. There is no element of chance and no element of skill, so it's worse than a real roulette wheel, or betting on sports - not to say that all types of gambling can't be addictive, but 'real life' gambling isn't calculated in the same way to cultivate addiction.

@heartsonacake

YABU. People are responsible for their own actions; we can’t hide things away because they might be tempted. They have self control and free will.

So what is the point of society if not to look out for the more vulnerable members.

Yes they absolutely should be banned

Many are aimed at young adults all looks like so much fun and it’s made so easy

People are responsible for their actions but many people have addictive personalities, gambling causes huge issues for many many families also we are going through a period where many people will look to make money as they are struggling. adverts for gambling make it look like all winking all fun which is dishonest

The gambling shows on ITV should be banned too shame on ITV

My MP, this is one of his particular issues.

Gambling addiction is a major problem in the uk.

Gambling sites and bookies don't just advertise they do a lot of "hard sell" type tactics basically pestering customers to gamble more, and more often.

There's been a lot on radio 4 about it in recent months too.

I have gambling addicts in my family and I would say it's definitely one of the most harmful addictions to those around the addict, as well as the addict themselves.

I think advertising should be banned, but actually I think things need to go much further.

The tactics used by app creators, site managers and bookies need seriously reined in!

online algorithm - which can monitor their behaviour and adjust itself to coax the maximum amount of money out of the gambler yep! And that's just one tactic.

On radio 4 gamblers and their families have been describing the constant barrage of texts, notifications etc sent to the gambler even after they've asked the various companies to stop contacting them!

Hell in a few cases even when the gamblers and their families got lawyers involved it didn't stop.

Outrageous behaviour.

And as pp say it's not just "normal" gambling it also applies to things like in app purchases which have dubious "safeguards"

All need seriously clamping down on.

From watching a lot of football and noticing the mass number of teams sponsored by gambling sites/companies its amazing (and a bit shocking) how many different sites there are. There must be people out there with lots of accounts.

Yes I think sponsorship by such companies should be banned too. It would be better if the sports teams acted better themselves but failing that govt should step in

Agree on sports advertising - especially given that football has a strong appeal to teenagers and children.

YANBU
And I’ve noticed a definite increase in advertising for online gambling since just before lockdown. Totally preying on the vulnerable

I don't believe any gambling - not even lotteries - should be allowed to advertise before 9pm on television. It's an addiction with catastrophic implications - why is tobacco banned, alcohol restricted? - heck, soon you won't even be able to advertise doughnuts until late evening. But online gambling, knock yourself out ...

It does pretty on the vulnerable and I think online gambling addiction is far more prevalent than people think. Whether it’s bingo, roulette, or something else.