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<p>The government has committed to a review of the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure
it is fit for the digital age. We will announce further details in due course.</p><p>
</p><p>Gambling sponsorship of sports teams, and advertising around sport, must be
socially responsible and must never be targeted at children or vulnerable people.
The government has also made clear that sporting bodies must consider their responsibilities
to fans when entering commercial arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>The Gambling Commission
has issued licences to 2,690 gambling operators. Government does not hold figures
on how many of these operators have entered into commercial sponsorship agreements
with football clubs but across the 92 clubs in the top four leagues of English football
(the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two) 34 clubs had front
or back shirt sponsorship deals with gambling operators (some of which sponsor multiple
teams) for the current season.</p><p> </p><p>The Football Association has strict rules
about the size and placement of sponsor logos on all players’ shirts, and prohibits
any reference to gambling or gambling operators on shirts for teams where all players
are under 18 years old. It has taken action where the logos of gambling sponsors have
been found to breach these rules. The gambling industry code for socially responsible
advertising also requires that operators’ logos must not appear on any commercial
merchandising which is designed for children (for instance in children’s sizes). In
August 2019 the code was amended to include a whistle to whistle ban on broadcast
advertising around live sport.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018 and 2019 the Committees of Advertising
Practice (CAP) published strengthened guidance on gambling advertising and the protection
of vulnerable people and of children and young people. The guidance makes clear that
content likely to appeal particularly to children is unacceptable and explicitly states
that gambling advertising cannot feature sports people who are, or appear to be, under
25 years old. The Advertising Standards Agency has also said it will look closely
at advertising that features sports personalities who have a significant profile amongst
under 18s and will continue to take action where these rules are breached. Further
research on the impact of marketing and advertising on children, young people and
other vulnerable people, including whether and how advertising influences attitudes
to gambling, is due to be published this spring.</p><p> </p>
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