Ladbrokes-Coral Group Calls For End To All Sports Betting TV Ads – And Goes Even Further

GVC Holdings PLC , the global sports-betting and gaming group which owns Ladbrokes and Coral, has today called for an end to all UK sports-betting broadcast advertising, at any time of the day, on live and repeated sporting events (exempting horseracing).

Under GVC’s proposals advertising specifically promoting responsible gambling and safer gambling campaigns would be permitted, but strictly limited to one advertisement per commercial break.

The call goes far further than the forthcoming pre-watershed, whistle-to-whistle advertising ban which is set to be introduced at the start of the 2019-20 football season in August.

While GVC helped to bring about the new restrictions, the company said they do not go far enough, and is therefore calling on its industry peers to join it in helping to revolutionise the marketing of gambling brands.

GVC has also today committed to unilaterally ending all football shirt sponsorship deals with UK teams and banning perimeter board advertising at football grounds, to allow sporting fans to watch their favourite teams without seeing any incentives to bet.

The Company has urged its industry peers and UK football governing bodies to support this move and take action in this area.

GVC’s CEO, Kenny Alexander (above) said: “Whilst the vast majority of our customers enjoy our products responsibly, it is high time that the industry did more to protect its customers from potential harm. As the UK’s largest gambling company, and owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, we at GVC are doing exactly that. I call on our industry peers to help us bring about an end to broadcast advertising which promotes sports-betting in the UK no matter the time of day.”

“Increasing investment in research, education and treatment ten-fold by 2022, funding treatment centres and using technology to intervene before a problem develops, alongside our existing behavioural analytics, brings to life our commitment to be the most trusted and enjoyable betting operator in the world.”

“The industry should and can do more to protect the vulnerable, and today’s announcement demonstrates GVC’s commitment to delivering on that.”