BGC Addresses Concerns Raised Over World Cup Betting in the UK

As always, the World Cup is a fantastic athletic event, and this year’s competition has already produced some incredible moments. It’s safe to assume that millions of people will be placing wagers on World Cup games, given the tournament’s worldwide popularity and the sense of national pride it inspires.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has observed that although this is commonplace for the vast majority of individuals, it has created a flood of unfounded accusations against gamblers and betting establishments among a vocal minority who have an ingrained aversion to gambling.

“Anti-gambling lobbyists, backed by poorly informed commentators, have reached for ever more extreme reasons to claim this World Cup will cause harm, despite there being no evidence to confirm that. First off, look at the independent regulator’s assessment of betting in the UK.”

Brigid Simmonds OBE, BCG Chairman.

About 22.5 million individuals in the United Kingdom regularly participate in some kind of gambling, such as the lottery, bingo, casinos, internet gaming, and wagering on various sports. According to the BGC, the real prevalence of problem gambling among UK adults is about 3%, which is quite low in comparison to other countries.

Current Measures

Despite the low incidence, the industry has taken measures to mitigate risk when possible. Members of the council instituted a prohibition known as “Whistle to Whistle” to prevent betting advertisements from airing during live football games before the designated time of nightly play.

New regulations prohibit betting-related commercials during the five-minute window before and after broadcasts of live sports. As a result, there was a 97% drop in the number of minors exposed to gambling advertisements.

In addition, the number of people exposed to betting commercials during Euro 2020 dropped by 47% compared to the last World Cup. As a matter of fact, TV commercial time have reduced rather than expanded. Twenty percent of television and radio commercial time is now dedicated to safer gambling messages, and all broadcasted advertisements adhere to strict guidelines.

A Call for Rational Decisions

The BCG has cautioned that no government action should put gamblers in danger by encouraging them to turn to the unregulated black market. As the members noted, this is a lengthy process, and at this stage, the MPs should not let their emotions get in the way of their better judgment.

If you look at the data without bias, you’ll see that the gambling sector benefits sports, the economy, and tax revenue, and that problem gambling is at historically low levels. Regulated gambling operators have made great strides toward ensuring consumer safety. Shackling it with the kind of laws that prohibitionists are seeking will do more damage than good.