Shifting Sands: Youth Exposure to Betting Ads Declines as UK Watchdog Sharpens Focus

A study by the United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) reveals a steady decrease in young people’s encounters with betting promotions on television. From 2010 to 2023, a 40% reduction was observed. This is a component of a broader pattern, with youngsters viewing 75% fewer television commercials in general.

The ASA, committed to safeguarding children from potentially detrimental advertising, discovered comparable reductions in exposure to promotions for alcoholic beverages (down 80%) and food products high in fat, sodium, and sugar (down 67%).

While positive, these results underscore the evolving media consumption patterns of children. The ASA recognizes the importance of closely monitoring online advertising to guarantee youngsters remain shielded from unsuitable material across all mediums. Projects like the “Exposure Report” and “100 Children Report” are elements of their continuous endeavors to observe and modify regulations as necessary.

The United Kingdom’s advertising regulatory body took action lately. Apparently, a wagering firm, Festival Free Bets, featured social media personality Astrid Wett in their promotional material. The issue at hand is that Wett was younger than 25 years old then, which violates the regulations concerning advertisements for gambling.