The British gaming sector, as represented by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), is urging social media platforms to enhance their efforts in promoting responsible gaming practices. They contend that fostering a secure online space for all users, particularly young individuals and those grappling with gambling-related issues, necessitates a collaborative approach.
The BGC advocates for these platforms to adopt a more proactive stance, specifically in mitigating the exposure of susceptible demographics to gambling advertisements. Although the BGC is eager to implement novel safeguards for online advertising, they perceive a lack of commitment from social media entities in shouldering their share of responsibility.
Michael Dugher, the head of the BGC, articulated these apprehensions in correspondence addressed to Lucy Frazer, the UK’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. He implored the government to exert pressure on social media companies to take more resolute measures, underscoring that the onus of responsibility cannot solely rest on the gambling industry. Dugher emphasized the imperative for joint action, urging platforms to collaborate with the BGC and furnish the requisite tools to safeguard at-risk users.
Notwithstanding the obstacles, the BGC underscores the favorable outcomes of their endeavors, citing a decline in problem gambling prevalence within the UK throughout 2022. Their overarching objective remains unambiguous: to curtail the visibility of gambling advertisements to youthful audiences.
The British gaming sector, as represented by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), is implementing measures to guarantee that solely adults of legal gambling age are exposed to online advertisements for betting and gaming offerings.
In a move to bolster the safeguarding of young individuals, the BGC recently introduced updated recommendations advising football clubs against utilizing their social media channels for the direct promotion of gambling activities. This measure stems from the immense popularity of football-related material on social media among youth, and the BGC’s commitment to shielding minors from encountering gambling promotions.