Since it was founded 30 years ago, the Premier League has become a global financial juggernaut – opening up financial opportunities that its founding members could never have dreamed of back in 1992.
As the league and football itself have expanded to become truly global market forces, large, international firms have become increasingly interested in getting a share of the pie. In many ways the league’s decision to impose restrictions on harmful alcohol and tobacco sponsorships has allowed another nefarious actor to fill the vacuum – betting firms.
What’s more, the advent of modern technology and the ubiquitous nature of mobile phones has given legions of fans 24/7 access to betting sites.
This has now led to a very real gambling epidemic among young British men, with NHS data published in 2019 revealing that they were five times more likely to develop a gambling addiction than the average populace.
The need for greater regulations around the gambling industry’s stranglehold over the sport is increasingly being discussed in the highest echelons of government and tangible action may not be too far off.
READ MORE: Audi partners up with Sky Sports in new tech sponsorship deal
Has the government been caught napping?
In this country, sport – and football more specifically – are massive cultural forces, with millions of participants and spectators week in, week out.
The Premier League itself estimates that around 40% of the UK population (26.8 million people) viewed live coverage of the league over the course of the 2020-21 season. The professional football industry is big money – and betting has always been part and parcel of the game.
In the last decade however, betting firms have gained unparalleled influenced withing the sport, propelled by wall-to-wall media coverage in an increasingly connected, digital age where endless media consumption has infiltrated every facet of our daily lives.
One might ask how and why betting firms have been allowed to become so entrenched, but we should remember that harmful substances such as alcohol and tobacco once enjoyed the bulk of advertising spaces and sponsorships in the sport too.
Perhaps the government has been caught napping, as by phasing out and eventually banning the advertising of alcohol and tobacco products, it opened up a vacuum that has been swiftly filled by betting firms.
“It would be fair to say that the industry has benefited from the decision to ban tobacco and alcohol advertising and that the advertising space afforded to it has certainly grown as a result,” Morgan Lewis, commercial and IP associate at Manchester law firm Brabners said.
“However, its impact on sport has also grown because of the development of technology and its ability to connect consumers with a sporting event in a different (but albeit potentially negative) way by them becoming financial committed in the outcome.
He added: “Its growing impact, whether seen as good or bad, is certainly a contributing factor as to why the money involved in elite sport has grown to its current levels.”
READ MORE: Asahi Super Dry strikes multi-year deal to sponsor City Football Group
Is the gambling epidemic directly linked to sports betting?
The biggest casualty by far however, has been the generation of young men whose lives have been negatively impacted by gambling addiction.
Research carried out in 2020 by Ipsos Mori on behalf of GambleAware found that 96% of 11-24 years-olds are exposed to gambling marketing activities, the charity’s chief communications officer, Alexia Clifford told Marketing Beat: “At GambleAware we have long been concerned that exposure to gambling is becoming part of everyday life for children and young people.
“We know that exposure to gambling advertising, including on social media, can have an impact on attitudes towards the prevalence and acceptability of gambling. In turn, it can also impact the likelihood that they will gamble in future. A precautionary approach is vital when it comes to children and young and vulnerable people’s exposure to gambling adverts”.
With unfettered access to mobile technology, it is perhaps unsurprising that according to the UK Health Security Agency, around 0.5% of the adult population – close to a quarter of a million people – are likely to have some form of gambling addiction, with around 2.2 million either problem gamblers or at risk of addiction.
Alarmingly, young men were found to be the group most at risk of gambling addiction with figures estimating that around 2% were classified as ‘problem gamblers’.
Faced with the constant bombardment of betting advertisements and marketing whenever we turn on the TV, it is hard to escape the firms’ clutches even when attending games. Betting ads are plastered across pitchside hoardings and – more often than not, on teams’ shirts as well.
In 2020, half of Premier League teams featured a gambling firm on their shirts.
Commenting on the ubiquitous nature of mobile betting, Lewis said: “Football-related advertising and the ability to place bets instantly via your phone have transformed the image of football gambling, and helped to normalise the act of placing a bet.
“There was previously a societal taboo about sneaking into a betting shop, and people may have looked down on anyone placing even recreational bets.
“However, I think the image in most people’s heads when they think about recreational gambling nowadays is of fans sat in the comfort of their living room. I don’t think that the impact of this shift should be understated.”
READ MORE: Becky Hill to headline 2022 Women’s Euro Final presented by Pepsi Max
Is there a legal route to limit the impact of gambling ads?
With a growing backlash against betting firms and their intrusive advertising, the government has taken notice and set certain steps in motion to counter its effects.
Recently, a widespread ban on celebrity endorsements was announced amid fears that gambling firms were targeting under-18s through celebrity endorsements.
The tide may also be shifting within the footballing industry itself, with the Premier League sounding out members clubs this summer over a potential voluntary ban on gambling shirt sponsorships.
Under the league’s proposals, the voluntary ban would come into effect for the start of this season, with an allowance for sides to finish their current deals, providing they don’t extend beyond the 2024-25 season.
Interestingly, Lewis points out that current scale of the problem was brought on by Tony Blair’s government close to 20 years ago: “Sports betting actually took off as result of a legislative change when in 2005 the government passed the UK Gambling Act.
“Prior to the Act becoming law, television and radio advertising for casinos, betting shops and online gambling sites were prohibited.
“Naturally, the government was unable to predict the technological revolution that has taken place since then.
“This was clearly not at the forefront of the government’s mind when it lifted the prohibition on gambling advertising. Given that the societal landscape has changed so dramatically, there is clearly a need for a rethink.”
Clifford added: “We hope the Government will include further efforts to reduce potential harm and exposure to gambling advertising and marketing for children and young people in the upcoming gambling White Paper.”
READ MORE: Data regulator to investigate Sky Bet’s ad tracking amid allegations of data abuse
What is clear is that the current gambling trend in this country is unsustainable and more needs to be done at all levels to counter the growing problem.
With the government’s recent announcements and the Premier League’s intentions to self-regulate, we may be starting on the road to recovery. But advertising legislation must keep up with societal and technological changes if it is to be fit for purpose.
Click here to sign up to Marketing Beat’s free daily email newsletter
