Gambling TV ads under new threat

Gambling companies looking to take advantage of the deregulation of gambling advertising when the Gambling Act 2005 is introduced on September 1 have been hit by another setback.

Broadcasters are being forced to draw up guidelines advising gambling companies about what content will be acceptable in Northern Ireland, where the new Act is yet to be adopted.

Gambling and betting companies that have already created television commercials ready for September 1 may find their advertising will have to be remade in order to be acceptable for broadcast in Northern Ireland.

Chris Hackford, legal spokesman for the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), says: “It is up to the broadcasters to decide what they are willing to air but the legal advice is that gambling companies can say what their services are in Northern Ireland but may not invite people to subscribe money, or money’s worth.”

This latest comes after broadcasters admitted to the IPA that they are unable to prevent ads being aired in Northern Ireland meaning many companies would be unable to run national TV campaigns. The issue does not affect ITV1.