BREAKING: Five London councils are urgently calling on Mayor Sadiq Khan to ban gambling advertisements on the Tube. This decisive move comes as part of a campaign led by the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), seeking to halt the proliferation of gambling ads in public transportation.
The councils—Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Hackney, and Lewisham—are joining forces with Haringey, which initiated the campaign earlier this year. Their aim is to protect vulnerable communities from the harmful effects of gambling marketing.
Statistics reveal the urgency of this issue: approximately 2.7% of UK adults, equating to around 1.4 million people, are grappling with gambling problems. Additionally, the Department of Health and Social Care estimates between 117 and 496 suicides annually in England are linked to gambling. These alarming figures underscore the need for immediate action.
The gambling industry, a multibillion-pound enterprise, allocates around £2 billion each year specifically for advertising. Recent polling from CEGA indicates widespread public support for this initiative, with 70% of over 2,000 British adults advocating for restrictions or a complete ban on gambling advertisements. Notably, 68% of respondents believe children should never be exposed to such ads.
“Councils are standing up for their communities and sending a clear message: it’s time to stop allowing companies to profit from promoting harmful products,”
said Will Prochaska, CEGA’s director, urging more councils to join this vital coalition.
Local councillors have echoed these sentiments. Chris Kennedy, Hackney Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, emphasized, “Gambling-related harm is well documented but often unrecognized, particularly among our most deprived citizens. This is why our advertising policy explicitly prohibits support for gambling promotions.”
Transport for London (TfL) responded to these calls, stating that all advertisements on their estate must adhere to the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) code, which sets specific regulations for gambling campaigns. A spokesperson noted, “The Greater London Authority’s (GLA) public health unit commissioned an independent review of existing research on harmful gambling to develop a better understanding of this subject.”
As this campaign gains momentum, the pressing question remains: will Sadiq Khan heed the call from these councils and the community? The implications of this decision could significantly shape the future landscape of advertising on public transport in London.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story and join the conversation on social media to raise awareness about the impacts of gambling advertising.
