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UK broadcasters have issued a warning that the value of TV sports rights contracts will come down if proposals for gambling advert bans are enacted.
This warning comes amidst the media reports that the Remote Gambling Association (RGA), had given its nod to an advertising ban during live televised sport.
The broadcasters are apparently lobbying against the proposals to ban gambling ads, as such a ban would affect their income. As things stand now, gambling adverts is a vital part of to their business revenue.
The two main players in the UK, Sky Sports and BT Sport, have their own sponsorship deals with bookmakers for their coverage of English soccer’s top flight Premier League. In addition, the English Football League (EFL), the body for the three lower tiers, is sponsored by SkyBet.
Stephen van Rooyen, Sky UK & Ireland chief executive, has said that any ban on TV advertising would actually represent a limited gesture from the gambling industry. Citing a Gamble Aware report, Van Rooyen says the industry spends five times as much on social media promotion as it does on TV advertising and that if it was serious about tackling the issue it would address the “inconvenient truth” over spending online.
“The amount of cash spent promoting gambling on social media has more than tripled over the past three years,” he said. “If the RGA and gambling companies are serious about protecting vulnerable gamblers, then they should start by looking at where they spend the most money, what has the least level of regulation and where there is most evidence of harm: the online world.
“These aren’t the views of a broadcaster scared of losing TV ad revenue; quite the opposite. Last month we voluntarily agreed to limit the number of gambling ads to one per commercial break. And we’re using our AdSmart technology to enable people to block gambling advertising if they wish. As a result, there will, of course, be some financial impact to Sky, but a proportionate and responsible limit to gambling advertising is the right thing to do.
“The irony is that TV advertising is already highly regulated, with rules around exposing inappropriate advertising to minors and limiting when and how often gambling ads can be seen. This is not the case online.”
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network…
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