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<p>The government and the Gambling Commission continue to be clear that gambling operators
must act responsibly during the Covid-19 period, and the Advertising Standards Authority
(ASA) has warned operators that they must not look to exploit the situation in their
adverts or marketing. In June 2020 members of the Betting and Gaming Council committed
to ensure at least 20% of broadcast advertising is given over to safer gambling messaging.</p><p>The
Gambling Commission has monitored gambling behaviour during the Covid-19 period and
will continue to do so. Survey data published by the Commission this month indicated
that 86% of those who gamble did so the same amount or less during the pandemic than
they had previously. The Commission recently wrote to operators to remind them of
its expectations under guidance issued in May 2020 to increase protections for those
who may be at heightened risk of gambling harm. That guidance directed operators to
monitor customer behaviour more closely to identify signs of potential harm, and banned
mechanisms by which customers could cancel requests to withdraw money from their account.</p><p>The
government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8th December with the publication
of a Call for Evidence. As part of the wide scope of that Review, we have called for
evidence on the benefits or harms of allowing gambling operators to advertise. In
addition, the ASA is currently consulting on proposals to further strengthen the advertising
codes, including new rules to minimise the potential for gambling adverts to appeal
to vulnerable people, or adversely impact them.</p><p> </p>
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