I'm surprised betting advertising is still alowed in the U.K. They must be paying off the right people handsomely.
The ethics of betting companies as football shirt sponsors
- Thread starter padzilla
- Start date
I've worked within the industry in the head office of one of the largest bookmakers in the country. Parts of my role included working closely with the responsible gambling department. On the other hand, I've also suffered from gambling addiction. There is alot more the bookmakers can do to combat problem gambling.
I understand the very valid point that we all have free will. However the over exposure has to be addressed. Not only the over exposure but also the lack of prevention. Especially when it comes to online or mobile betting.
The advertisements are sickening too, and I can personally tell you. It can be pressing for a person battling addiction to endure those adverts throughout the entire match.
Most people have addictions, it's how you control them, I just don't see an issue with betting companies advertising their products, like any other legal business.
If we really want to hammer a certain sector that advertise's to the vulnerable, then I'd go with 'payday loans'.
You can apply similar logic to advertising lots of things. Someone, somewhere will take things too far and have issues with it. It's the same question as whether gambling should be legal at all, really. And if you gamble yourself, as basically half the adults in the world do each year at some point, I am not sure how you can make a distinction between that and advertising in football.
I too worked in the betting industry a few years back. I think ever since the online stream has grown in the past 10 years or so the industry needs to maintain it's marketing presence.
I personally don't agree with it having been around problematic gamblers for 3 years of my life. I know how much of an effect some of these adverts could have on certain individuals. I also wouldn't want my niece/nephew of 4 and 6 asking me what a betting advert was about. I never knew anything about gambling until the age of 16 because a friend used to gamble otherwise there was no heavy marketing the way we see today.
With the recent law change reducing FOBT stakes to max £2, I expect there to be many high street shops closing and more growth online.
I personally don't agree with it having been around problematic gamblers for 3 years of my life. I know how much of an effect some of these adverts could have on certain individuals. I also wouldn't want my niece/nephew of 4 and 6 asking me what a betting advert was about. I never knew anything about gambling until the age of 16 because a friend used to gamble otherwise there was no heavy marketing the way we see today.
With the recent law change reducing FOBT stakes to max £2, I expect there to be many high street shops closing and more growth online.
I agree that bookmakers can do more to combat problem gambling, although some things they'll never be able to control. They're moving in the right direction though. For example, I like how the new Swedish gaming license (in 2019) will combat aggressive bonusing, only allowing the gambling company to offer one bonus during the customer lifetime (most likely the welcome bonus). Thus, all communication to the customer following this bonus will have to simply be informational. It'll be a challenge for the industry, but an interesting one in my opinion. The customer will (ideally) bet because he or she wants to, not purely because the company is pushing some bonus the customer feels like he or she has to use.
I also agree that TV adverts are way too aggressive, and I'm not a fan of those myself. However, I wouldn't compare these to a shirt sponsorship.
Why would it make you uncomfortable? It just a logo.
I place a few 5 euro accumulators every month. If I'm watching the world cup and a betting ad or sponsored shirt pops up, it's not going to make me wanna bet. Same with Coca Cola, Carling, Sony Playstation..etc.
It's just advertising.
That's the raison d'etre of advertising, and it clearly works otherwise betting companies wouldn't be pumping money into it.
It is a bit odd how the government have begun cracking down on porn, but an addiction just as debilitating and capable of ruining lives, like betting, is given a free rein.
Porn lobbyists need to step up their game. Too flaccid.
People are going to throw away their disposable income on some stupid shit or another. Don't see why betting is so special. Alcohol ads should probably be banned long before betting ads.
It is insane how much advertising there is on networks for betting. The money they get to spruik must be absolutely insane. "BET BET BET BETTTTTTTTTTTTTTT COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN BET...... gamble responsibly"...
The broadcaster has its own betting company and regularly puts out bull poop stories to generate traffic to its site.
I don't think we can worry too much about it being on a shirt.
I don't think we can worry too much about it being on a shirt.
kids will think it's the norm "daddy can we have an acca?"
Catchphrase: "When the fun stops, stop."
Reality: "When the fun stops, it's too late."
Reality: "When the fun stops, it's too late."
If someone goes and gambles after seeing an advert like that then they are a numpty. Unless the person has a genuine and long term addiction that needs help, I find it weak and naive for people to be lead easily by adverts and sponsors. If you are 18+ and wish to gamble and can’t do it responsibly, only gambling what you are willing/can afford to lose, then it’s your own fault. Nobody else’s. But let’s just blame the tv advert and ignore the persons underlying greed to win money.
Last edited:
Nope, not what I said. Advertising in a manner that takes advantage of addictions is not simply advertising. Payday loans at just as bad, but different reason to betting companies advertising on sports matches. Its like smoking ads on school buses. Its calculated to prey on human weakness. Saying having a coke makes you smile every other ad break isnt going to hurt anyone, and if betting companies went about their ads in the same way it wouldnt be a big deal either. But when it becomes part of the show, its hard to see it for anything other than what it is. The addict has little choice than to avoid sports. That doesnt seem fair to me. At the very least the amount of betting ads could be calmed down during sports matches. In my opinion.
Take out "regular people" and insert "young people", my kids know more about betting than I do and I don't bet and mathematical psychology is my profession!
I care neither here nor there about the liberty of gambling. But I find the amount of advertising and the misleading slant that gambling as a practice that has barely any social effects quite insane to be honest. But maybe I am just overly cynical, and I remind you that I don't gamble. I hate losing so I don't do things that I am no good at regularly
In my opinion, to lose a life changing amount of money gambling you have to be either a) extremely bad at it or b) fallen victim to the addiction of casino games and slot machines. Adverts for B should 100% be banned from TV no question. To get involved in sports betting and lose a huge amount of money at it, for me that's more down to being bad at a skill rather than fallen victim to your addiction. Some people become good at sports betting, they can win the odd acca or become more interested in in-play betting and learn to understand certain markets and leagues to take advantage of. To say all betting is bad and should not be advertised is way off the mark, the adverts are excessive but when it comes to gambling, sports betting and the likes of poker are culturally normal things to participate in, the vast majority of people have it in under control, gamble responsibly and get enjoyment out of it. I also agree that the bookies are the bad guys but the next goalscorer adverts at half time aren't as damaging as some of you think.
Last edited:
I might be a little biased here because a family friend took his own life because he became addicted to online gambling and lost all his savings. I have seen first hand the dark side of gambling and the dangers it presents.
I have probably thirty accounts with online bookies, the vast majority are either closed or factored hugely (they don’t want winning punters).
The ones I’ve left dormant I get loads of emails with welcome back bonuses. That’s just smart marketing. Only issue for me is it takes time to clear a bonus when they only let you get 50p a time so not worth the hassle.
The only way to cut yourself off completely is to self exclude which means you have to admit you have a problem which people generally don’t do.
If you self exclude you're only going to self exclude from that bookmaker.
You'll always still be able to bet, simply register online for a different bookmaker. Pop in person to your local bookmaker/casino.
In my opinion the self exclusion element could be worked on more. It does have to be said there is only so much you can do to prevent it, however when you sign a self exclusion form, their duty of care and exeution of the service should be greater.
Soon you'll be able to exclude yourself from all online gambling sites, thanks to initiatives such as GamStop in the UK. Hopefully other countries will follow suit. It's a good start, but this only covers online gambling.
That's interesting and exactly the kind of action I was referring to. Fair play for that.
SMOOOOOKE.
... ARE YOU SMOKING YET?
... ARE YOU SMOKING YET?
I always thought that gambling should not be allowed to be advertised. It should obviously be legal, but all the ads are highly problematic. It’s getting more and more in Germany. I often pass one of those shops on my way to work. The amount of people in there is staggering to me. And of course, as many said before, those who are most vulnerable are hit worst.
Also, while we’re at gambling, I often play a bit of billiards in a shop with slot machines. Watching the people sit in front of those machines for hours is incredibly depressing. No joy when they win, no anger when they lose, they just keep feeding the machine.
Also, while we’re at gambling, I often play a bit of billiards in a shop with slot machines. Watching the people sit in front of those machines for hours is incredibly depressing. No joy when they win, no anger when they lose, they just keep feeding the machine.
Agree you only self exclude from that bookie and that’s something UK could do better. In France for example there is a national black list so if you exclude from one you exclude from all.
Operators take self exclusions massively seriously and there have been numerous 7 figure fines for companies that let self excluded people play.
I’ve been involved in discussions with regulators from many different countries and that is always top of the agenda when it comes to granting a license. So things are getting better but slowly.
Those commercials arent for you. It's for the asians.
Tbh i dont even know who's mansion, bwin etc. But thanks to the shirt deals i know who they are and if I'm going to bet one day they're the first and likely I'll bet with them.
Tbh i dont even know who's mansion, bwin etc. But thanks to the shirt deals i know who they are and if I'm going to bet one day they're the first and likely I'll bet with them.
I don’t mind that betting companies are associated with football it’s just the sheer number of adverts. At half time of any Premier League games there are probably 3 adverts on betting. BT even has a betting advert as the game is about to begin.
I think the government should ban these adverts during this period. An addict that wants to watch the football then sees these adverts are bound to be tempted.
I was stuck in the cycle for years of £10-£15 a weekend. It was only where Skybet started showing how much you spend and win that I stopped as the losses were adding up.
It’s a serious issue that seems to be ignored. You only have to look at the high street now. Charity shops, Coffee shops and betting shops and that’s about it.
I think the government should ban these adverts during this period. An addict that wants to watch the football then sees these adverts are bound to be tempted.
I was stuck in the cycle for years of £10-£15 a weekend. It was only where Skybet started showing how much you spend and win that I stopped as the losses were adding up.
It’s a serious issue that seems to be ignored. You only have to look at the high street now. Charity shops, Coffee shops and betting shops and that’s about it.
I agree.
To answer the original post, I have no problem with betting sponsorship in sport generally.