Number of gambling adverts on TV has soared by 1,443% since 2005 and every child is now exposed to 200 each year

  • Number of TV adverts in 2005 90,000 in 2005 but hit 1.38m in 2012
  • Children watching 200 each year with peak just before the watershed
  • Bingo companies advertise the most followed by online casinos and poker

By ALASDAIR GLENNIE FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Published: | Updated:


The number of gambling adverts shown on TV has rocketed by more than 1,444 per cent over the past eight years.

The rise is revealed in shocking figures from broadcasting regulator Ofcom that show betting giants and TV networks are cashing in on a move by the last Labour government to allow such advertising before the 9pm watershed.

Daytime schedules are being flooded with aggressive commercials for bingo, online gambling sites and sports betting, prompting accusations children and the vulnerable are being encouraged to view gambling as a fun, everyday activity, rather than risky.

Proliferation: The number of gambling adverts on television has soared by a staggering 1,443 per cent since 2005, with the largest rises since Labour relaxed the law in 2007

Proliferation: The number of gambling adverts on television has soared by a staggering 1,443 per cent since 2005, with the largest rises since Labour relaxed the law in 2007

Changes: The Gambling Act 2005, passed in 2007, allowed operators to sponsor sporting events and advertise on TV for the first time, like BetVictor commercial

Changes: The Gambling Act 2005, passed in 2007, allowed operators to sponsor sporting events and advertise on TV for the first time, like this recent BetVictor commercial

But gambling adverts can fuel addiction, causing people to 'spiral into depression and bankruptcy', warned Professor Sue Bailey of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. She likened the dangers of betting to those of smoking.

'It is often the most vulnerable who are the most susceptible,' she said. 'Gambling is known to be harmful.' She called on the Government to take 'a long, hard look' at the legislation on adverts.

Last night Lib Dem MP Tessa Munt backed her call for a change in the law to prevent the 'insidious' rise in gambling adverts.

'I'm shocked by the figures, but sadly not surprised,' she said. 'The real problem with these adverts is they make gambling seem normal.'

Worrying: The growth in TV adverts has meant that more and more children are being exposed to them, with the number if 'impacts' - or views, now far exceeding 1billion a year

Worrying: The growth in TV adverts has meant that more and more children are being exposed to them, with the number if 'impacts' - or views, now far exceeding 1billion a year

Where and when: This chart shows that most of the gambling adverts are shown between 9.30am and 5pm, with the most common being bingo

Where and when: This chart shows that most of the gambling adverts are shown between 9.30am and 5pm, with the most common being for bingo

The study showed a 14-fold rise in the number of gambling adverts on UK television, from 90,000 in 2005 to 1.39million in 2012.

Gambling commercials now make up  4 per cent of all advertising, compared with 1.7 per cent in 2005.

Yesterday, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice said it would examine Ofcom's report 'closely'.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it would continue to ensure that protections for consumers, including children, were adequate.

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