UK-facing gambling operators have spent close to £500 million on TV advertising campaigns since 2012, according to figures from a report compiled by media analyst Nielsen for The Guardian.
Betting shops have turned into an indispensable part of Britain’s high streets. In addition to this, online gambling has been growing at an extremely quick speed. As a results, TV advertising has become a popular means for gambling operators to secure greater brand exposure and popularization of their product offering.
According to the figures posted, companies that offer sports betting, bingo, and online casino options spent the amount of £118.5 million on commercials in 2015. In comparison, a total of £81.2 million was spent for that same purpose in 2012. Compared, the two figures reflect a 46% increase in the annual spending on TV advertising campaigns.
Overall, sports betting and gaming operators have spent the amount of £456 million since 2012 to advertise their products in a bid to attract the attention of a greater number of UK-based gambling customers. If the lottery companies’ spending of £169 million is added to the above-mentioned figure, it rises to a total of £631 million.
According to Nielsen’s report, companies invested £51.4 million in the creation of TV ads in the first five months of 2016. If the trend is retained until the end of the year, a record £123.4 million is expected to be reported. In fact, the full-year figure may be even higher than originally predicted as TV advertising expenditure will be enhanced by campaigns related to the UEFA Euro 2016, the EU referendum, and the Rio Olympic Games.
Gambling advertising and the negative effects it may have on the vulnerable part of the population has long caused serious controversies between proponents and opponents. However, according to the latest data reported, the number of complaints against gambling TV ads has actually decreased since 2012. The Advertising Standards Authority, known to be Britain’s advertising watchdog, has said that a total of 1,152 complaints were filed in 2012. Their number has been going down over the past several years to reach 956 in 2015.
Generally speaking, gambling ads cannot be seen on television before the 9 pm watershed introduced under a special voluntary code. However, under a clause within the said code, gambling commercials related to big sports events are exempt from the watershed hour requirement.
