Gambling advertising spend has continued to fall in the UK, led by a steep drop-off in spending on TV ads.
Gambling advertising spend from licensed UK operators has continued to fall, according to fresh analysis from the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The research, conducted by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), found that gambling ads accounted for just 2.7% of the UK’s total advertising spend in 2024, down from 3% in 2023.
This comes alongside a warning from industry leaders that unregulated online ads from unregulated, illegal operators are a growing risk to consumers.
Licensed operators’ gambling ad spend is continuing to decline.
Independent analysis commissioned by the BGC shows gambling advertising was 2.7% of total UK ad spend in 2024 (down from 3% in 2023) and has been falling steadily since 2021.
Around 20% of ads are safer gambling…
— Betting and Gaming Council (@BetGameCouncil) February 2, 2026
The fall in official gambling ad spend is not a new phenomenon, with spending on a steady decline since 2021 to map out a drop of 1.7% year-on-year. The main push for this decline is a £30 million reduction in spending on TV ads.
The report includes warnings that illegal operators are increasingly using unregulated means, such as influencers, search engines and AI-generated content, to target consumers, including ones who may be at risk of gambling-related harm. Many operators explicitly promote the fact that they are ‘not on GAMSTOP’, thereby seeking to appeal to those already at risk of gambling addiction.
Advertising shifts to focus on player protection
What’s more, a major shift in the sector has been putting ad spend towards player protection, with 20% of all gambling ads in the UK now focused on safer gambling messaging. This increase has seen results in engagement, with 14% more people setting deposit limits and 22% more safer gambling tools in place during last year’s Safer Gambling Week.
“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,” said Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council. “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.”
Featured image: Unsplash
