The vanishing bet: Why your TV is seeing fewer gambling ads

The shifting landscape of British screens

A new report from Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council, has revealed a significant trend: gambling advertising is on the retreat. 

In 2024, gambling ads made up just 2.7% of all UK advertising spend, down from 3% the previous year.

This isn’t just a one-off dip either, as it continues on a steady decline that began in 2021. 

For the average viewer, this means fewer "bet now" prompts during the day and a quieter experience during live broadcasts.

Why the "whistle-to-whistle" is becoming silent

The biggest change is happening on your TV. Spending on television gambling ads plummeted by £30 million last year. 

This is driven by two main factors:

• Fewer viewers: More people are moving away from traditional TV toward streaming services.

• Stricter rules: Licensed companies now follow a voluntary "whistle-to-whistle" ban, and 72% of all gambling ads are now aired after the 9pm watershed.

While TV is cooling off, digital advertising still holds the lion's share, making up nearly 67% of the industry’s total spend. However, even online, the rules are tightening.

At a glance: The numbers behind the decline

Category	2023 share	2024 share	Key driver
Total ad spend	3.0%	2.7%	Stricter rules and safety focus
TV ad reduction	-	-£30 million	Watershed shift & falling viewership
Digital share	-	66.8%	High compliance on social & search
Safety messaging	>10%	20%	Mandatory focus on player protection

The invisible threat: How illegal casinos are "hacking" your feed

As legal companies step back, a "black market" of illegal operators is trying to step in. These unlicensed sites don't follow UK laws and often use sneaky tactics to reach you.

These "rogue" sites are increasingly using AI-generated content and social media influencers to target people. You might’ve noticed that Facebook has been accused of ignoring illegal gambling ads, allowing unregulated sites to appear on your timeline. These sites often use the bait of "No GAMSTOP" to go after vulnerable players who are already trying to quit.

From "bet now" to "play safe": A new era of responsibility

The "vibe" of gambling ads is completely shifting. Forget the ads that promise huge, flashy bonuses. What you'll see more of now are genuine tips on how to stay safe. 

In fact, a full 20% of all gambling advertising is now dedicated purely to these "safer gambling" messages.

This shift seems to be working. During the most recent Safer Gambling Week:

• 14% more people set deposit limits on their accounts.

• 22% more people started using safety tools like "time-outs."

Despite these improvements, the UK public is calling for even tighter restrictions. Recent polls suggest that 70% of people want more curbs on gambling ads, showing that the industry still has a long way to go to win back public trust.

The road ahead: A safer future or a darker market?

This whole shift marks a huge cultural change for the UK betting world. Licensed operators are making a real effort to drop the aggressive TV ads and focus on responsible, helpful information, with player protection now their number one priority.

But there's one big, unanswered question hanging in the air: If legal advertising fades away, will that space just be filled by dangerous, illegal betting sites? 

This move could mean much better safety for players, but only time will reveal if a less noisy industry turns out to be a genuinely safer one.