Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent under-18s from being exposed to gambling advertisement, sponsorship and marketing on social media and online platforms.

We have struck a balanced and evidence-led approach to gambling advertising which tackles aggressive advertising which is most likely to appeal to children, while recognising that advertising is an entirely legitimate commercial practice for responsible firms.

Last year, HM Government published a White Paper on gambling which outlined a comprehensive package of reforms to make gambling safer. This followed an exhaustive assessment of the evidence, including on gambling advertising. We concluded that further action on advertising was needed, which is why we and the Gambling Commission are introducing measures to tackle the most aggressive and harmful advertising practices by preventing bonuses being constructed and targeted in harmful ways, giving customers more control over the marketing they receive, and introducing messaging about the risks associated with gambling.

This supplements the already robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible and that it cannot be targeted at or strongly appeal to children. This includes specific licence conditions for operators, including the requirement to abide by the UK Advertising Codes, which further regulate how gambling operators advertise. The UK Advertising Codes were strengthened in 2022, with new protections for children and vulnerable adults.