The House of Lords Liaison Committee has called for a comprehensive, tobacco-style ban on gambling advertising in Great Britain

22 September 2026

The committee's latest report, Gambling Harm – Time for Action: Follow-up report, says a wholesale advertising prohibition is the most effective way to reduce the damage caused by legalized gambling.

The committee argues that gambling advertising has expanded rapidly through digital channels and social media, proliferating at such a pace that regulators have struggled to impose effective controls. It says that in the absence of a total ban, it is difficult for consumers to opt out of marketing, commentary, and sports sponsorship – even if they are vulnerable or in recovery.

What is the Scope of the Proposed Ban?

The report is clear that the proposed ban would be wide in scope, covering advertising, marketing and commercial promotion across broadcast and online media. Reports suggest the ban would extend to social media platforms, requiring companies to remove gambling ads and disable promotional messages, posts, and links.

However, there are some reported exemptions. Advertising related to the National Lottery, for instance, would continue to be permitted, and so too would promotions for horse racing and racing related events. These exceptions are said to reflect public perceptions – with the National Lottery viewed as a safe, low risk proposition by the public, and the availability of bets on horse races justified by the need to maintain interest in a sport whose popularity is diminishing. The committee believes the broader ban would not be undermined by allowing gambling associated with racecourses.

The rationale for the restriction echoes language used to describe tobacco advertising restrictions in 2002. The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act banned most forms of tobacco advertising in Britain in 2002, prohibiting adverts in broadcasts, newspapers, journals and online, as well as restricting marketing through sport and cultural events. The law also banned tobacco vending machines and tobacco products from being displayed or promoted in shops. A ban on cigarette brand displays in shops was introduced in 2012, and from 2015, cigarette packages were required to carry graphic health warnings alongside printed tax information.

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The Committee Report references the 2002 Tobacco Act to support its proposal, and argues it is well established that tobacco-style restrictions can deliver significant public health benefits. Studies suggesting that exposure to tobacco ads was linked to tobacco purchases, and that nonsmokers were 70% less likely to have tried smoking without seeing tobacco ads, are cited. The report estimates the UK's 2003 ban on tobacco advertisements reduced smoking prevalence by around 3%, preventing 10,000 people from starting to smoke and resulting in 4,000 fewer adult smokers.

The report states that harm in the gambling sector may extend beyond those who gamble, as the collateral damage from gambling-related financial problems, relationship breakdowns, and deterioration in mental and physical health affects families and communities.

The gambling industry has reacted strongly to the report. A spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), the trade association for licensed betting and gaming companies, characterized the suggested ban as a misguided proposal that could drive people to unregulated, unlicensed black markets, warning about increased revenues for illegal operators.

The committee response is that this concern should not prevent public health interventions – tobacco restrictions were introduced with similar warnings about illicit trade, yet no significant rise occurred. Moreover, reports of harm in the regulated legal gambling market cause more public damage than illegal gambling, making restrictions in the overall public interest.