Are Football Gambling Ads Scoring with Kids? Tackling the Issue Head-On

Are Football Gambling Ads Scoring with Kids? Tackling the Issue Head-On 

Gambling advertisements during football halftime have become a common sight in recent years, and while they may seem harmless, they have become a cause for concern for many people. The advertisements show kids how easy it is to make bets, and offer a wide range of options for placing bets such as first goal scorer, how many corners, and who kicks off the game. Additionally, the adverts often show the win, the joy, and happiness in the pundits faces, which can make gambling seem like an easy and fun way to make money. 

While these advertisements may seem harmless, they can have a significant impact on young people who are watching the game. Many of these adverts offer a signing-up bonus, which can be attractive to young people who are looking for a way to make money quickly. However, the adverts do not show the other side of gambling, such as the risk of losing money, which can be significant. 

Most these adverts have a signing up bonus, ‘bet £10 get £50 free bets’ ‘£20 free when you bet £5’ or ‘Money back when your acca’, yes these are advertising tricks but do they have to have 7or 8 commercials during half time breaks. You can say if they are strong will they can handle themselves not to gamble, this is true but these are constantly being shoved in the kids faces. 

 I don’t mind the advert on football shirts or the electrical advertising board during the game, this doesn’t have the feels/shows the emotion and happiness of the people winning the bets. 
I can see why the football clubs have them on the shirts and advertising boards, its for the sponsorship deals, but don’t the clubs rather the future of the kids spend their money on the club? Buy shirts, tickets, other merchandise than just to gamble it away? 
Football clubs wouldn’t accept alcohol or cigarette sponsors like in F1 (maybe not anymore on cigarette)  
Of course the advert isn’t going to show what happens when they lose or end up going in debt, it would be silly of them to do this. 

They would even get ex footballer to be in the adverts, there are laws that doesn’t allow footballers to bet, ‘No Participant can bet on a match or competition in which they are involved that season, or which they can influence, or any other football-related matter concerning the league that they play in.’  yes I know they are retired/ex footballers in the advert but it doesn’t sit right with me. 

In England we have a massive gambling problem, “This review has estimated that 0.5% of the adult population has a problem with gambling, 3.8% are gambling at at-risk levels, and 7% are affected negatively by an others people’s gambling”  

There are 6,219 betting shops in the country, the poorer the city is the more these gambling shops pop up, Birmingham73 betting shops 1.1 million people, London 813 betting shops 8.9 million people, Newcastle 46 betting shops 300,000 people. 

I understand that these days you don’t need to go to the bookies to place bets down, but when you go to the local shops to get milk or bread, there’s a bookie right there, sometimes there is 3 or 4 betting shops down 1 street.  

I feel that the government needs to take control on these betting shops and limit how many betting adverting they are showing during football games, yes I know taking away the betting shops doesn’t magically make the country not have a gambling problem, maybe have advertising of gambling past the ‘Watershed’ 9pm unsuitable for children. 

The issue of gambling advertising during football commercials is a concerning one, particularly when it comes to its impact on children. While advertising can be an effective tool for companies to promote their products and services, the constant bombardment of gambling ads during football games can have negative consequences, such as normalizing gambling and encouraging young people to take up the habit. It is important for the government to take action to regulate these ads and limit their exposure, especially during games when children are likely to be watching. In doing so, we can work towards creating a healthier relationship with gambling and reducing the harm it can cause to individuals and families. 

See you in the next one.