UK gambling advertising spend falls as illegal marketing risk rises

Advertising expenditure by licensed gambling operators in Great Britain has continued to decline according to a new independent study commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The report highlights a long term downward trend in regulated advertising investment, even as concerns grow about a substantial increase in advertising by unlicensed operators who use unregulated digital channels to reach consumers. The analysis offers a comprehensive picture of how the sector is changing and raises questions about the future balance between consumer protection and illicit marketing pressures.

Decline in licensed gambling advertising spend

The Gambling Advertising and Sponsorship Report 2025, prepared independently by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) for the Betting and Gaming Council, details the latest figures for advertising and sponsorship activity by licensed operators in Great Britain. It shows that gambling advertising by regulated operators accounted for only 2.7 percent of total UK advertising spend in the period from October 2023 to September 2024. This is a reduction from 3.0 percent in the prior year, reflecting a sustained decrease over multiple years.

Total expenditure by licensed operators reached approximately £1.15 billion over the reporting period. Of this sum, £768 million was allocated to digital advertising formats, which represented the largest share of spending. A further £341 million was spent on broadcast advertising. In addition to traditional advertising, licensed operators invested £138 million in sponsorship arrangements with various sports and cultural organisations.

According to the independent analysis, total regulated gambling advertising spend has been falling at an average rate of 1.7 percent per year since 2021. The contraction has been driven in part by a £30 million decline in television advertising, as viewership patterns shift and broadcasters face broader economic pressures.

Shifting advertising priorities toward player protection

A notable feature of the licensed gambling advertising landscape in 2025 is the emphasis on player protection. The report finds that around 20 percent of all gambling advertising by licensed operators was dedicated to promoting safer gambling messages. These communications aim to increase consumer awareness of tools and resources designed to support responsible behaviour such as deposit limits, time management and self exclusion options.

The BGC and its members point to early evidence that this focus on safer gambling messaging has produced measurable engagement. During the most recent Safer Gambling Week campaign, reported results indicated that 14 percent more individuals set deposit limits and the use of safer gambling tools increased by 22 percent. These figures were cited by the BGC as evidence that messaging is resonating with consumers rather than being symbolic.

Advertising compliance by licensed operators also remains robust. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) reported that upheld rulings related to gambling advertising were extremely rare, affecting fewer than 0.02 percent of adverts examined. This low rate of adverse regulatory action was presented as confirmation of the strength of the regulatory framework that governs licensed advertising.

Economic contribution of regulated advertising and sponsorship

Beyond direct messaging around safer gambling, the report places significant emphasis on the economic contributions associated with regulated advertising and sponsorship activity. According to the analysis, expenditures by licensed operators support employment across a wide range of sectors beyond gambling itself. Nearly 10,000 jobs are sustained in the advertising, media and creative supply chain as a result of regulated gambling advertising activity. Of these, approximately 1,400 are full time marketing roles directly engaged by betting and gaming companies.

The report estimates that regulated advertising and sponsorship contributes about £500 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy. In addition to economic value, regulated sponsorship agreements provide funding for free to air sports coverage, lower league and grassroots sports organisations and various media outlets that derive revenue outside of subscription models.

Warnings about unlicensed operator advertising

While the decline in licensed gambling advertising is clear, the report also contains a strong warning about the growing scale of marketing activity by unlicensed or black market operators. According to research cited by the BGC, unregulated gambling sites are spending an estimated £500 million to £700 million on advertising aimed at UK consumers. These operators are not subject to UK licensing requirements and therefore do not provide the consumer safeguards that are mandatory for licensed companies.

The report explains that unlicensed operators are increasingly using unregulated digital channels to reach audiences. These channels include third party search engines, social media influencers and automated artificial intelligence generated content. Some unlicensed operators openly promote the fact that they are not part of GAMSTOP, the UK self exclusion scheme, in order to attract customers who may be seeking to avoid self exclusion provisions. Others have been reported to engage in practices that mislead consumers by impersonating trusted charities or institutions.

BGC chief executive Grainne Hurst emphasised the contrast between licensed operator behaviour and that of unlicensed sites in her comments on the report. “This independent analysis shows that gambling advertising by licensed operators is continuing to fall with spend increasingly concentrated on safer gambling messaging and consumer protections. Our members operate within some of the strictest advertising rules of any industry and continue to raise standards across the sector. By contrast illegal operators are advertising aggressively online with no safeguards no age checks and no consumer protections posing a huge risk to consumers. Any serious approach to advertising must be led by evidence and focused on tackling the harmful black market.”

Perspectives from industry analysts

Adam Rivers, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, described the findings as offering critical insight into the state of gambling advertising and sponsorship in the regulated UK market. “We are pleased to have worked with the BGC on this report which offers an insight into the state of the gambling advertising and sponsorship sector in the UK based on actual advertising expenditure data from licensed operators.”

Industry analysts outside the BGC have also pointed to the importance of understanding the broader advertising ecosystem in which gambling operates. Some research groups have estimated that total advertising by gambling companies in the UK across all forms and channels could be as high as £2 billion annually when broader promotional activity and affiliate marketing are taken into account. However the BGC and its members have contested that figure arguing that the core spend by licensed operators is closer to the numbers reflected in the independent Alvarez & Marsal study.

Regulatory and public policy implications

The shifting dynamics of gambling advertising in Britain have drawn attention not only from the industry and regulators but also from policymakers and advocacy groups. Critics of current policy have argued that declining licensed advertising could reduce public awareness of safer gambling tools and shift consumer engagement toward unregulated operators who promote riskier environments. Supporters of tighter regulation have called for stronger controls on all forms of gambling marketing in order to protect vulnerable individuals and reduce exposure to potentially harmful messaging.

In response the UK government and regulators have undertaken consultations and introduced amendments to advertising codes that extend oversight to unpaid marketing content targeted at UK audiences. These changes mean that all marketing communications by licensed operators on social media and other platforms are subject to regulation under the CAP Code to ensure consistency and stronger protection for consumers.

The broader debate over the balance between consumer protection responsible industry practices and restrictions on advertising is likely to continue as part of the UK government’s ongoing review of gambling laws and regulations.

Conclusion

The latest gambling advertising analysis reveals a sustained decline in spend by licensed operators in Great Britain at the same time that unlicensed websites and offshore platforms expand their visibility through unregulated digital marketing. While licensed advertising increasingly focuses on safer gambling messaging and compliance remains robust there is heightened concern that the prominence of unlicensed advertising may undermine consumer protections. The economic contribution of regulated advertising remains significant but the policy landscape continues to evolve in response to changing market conditions and regulatory priorities.

FAQs

What has happened to gambling advertising spend by licensed operators in Britain compared to the previous year?
Licensed gambling advertising spend in Britain declined to 2.7 percent of total UK advertising expenditure in the period from October 2023 to September 2024 down from 3.0 percent previously with spend falling steadily since 2021.

Who conducted the independent study on gambling advertising spend and for whom?
The independent study was conducted by Alvarez & Marsal on behalf of the Betting and Gaming Council and forms the basis of the Gambling Advertising and Sponsorship Report 2025.

How much did regulated gambling operators spend on advertising in Great Britain?
Great Britain licensed gambling operators spent about £1.15 billion on advertising between October 2023 and September 2024 including digital and broadcast formats.

What proportion of gambling advertising is now dedicated to safer gambling messaging?
Approximately 20 percent of gambling advertising by licensed operators is focused on safer gambling messaging to promote responsible behaviour and awareness of tools and support.

Are licensed gambling advertisements compliant with UK advertising standards?
Compliance remains high with the Advertising Standards Authority upholding rulings in fewer than 0.02 percent of gambling adverts indicating strong adherence to regulatory rules.

How does regulated gambling advertising contribute economically?
Regulated advertising and sponsorship activity supports around 9,900 jobs across advertising media and creative supply chains and contributes about £500 million in gross value added to the UK economy.

What concerns are raised about unlicensed gambling advertising?
The report warns that unlicensed operators are spending significant amounts on unregulated online advertising often without age checks safer gambling measures or consumer protections posing risks to consumers.

How do unlicensed operators reach consumers?
Unlicensed operators increasingly use digital channels such as search engines influencer content and artificial intelligence generated promotions which are not regulated in the same way as licensed advertising.

What regulatory changes have been made to gambling advertising rules?
New amendments require unpaid marketing content targeted at UK consumers by licensed operators to comply with the CAP Code ensuring all marketing communications fall under consistent regulatory oversight.

What is the broader policy debate around gambling advertising in the UK?
There is ongoing discussion about how to balance consumer protection restrictions on gambling advertising and the role of licensed operators in promoting responsible gambling while countering unlicensed marketing pressures.