Gambling Ads Flood Premier League Opening Weekend, Nearly Tripling Since Last Year

New research reveals almost 30,000 gambling messages bombarded fans, raising concerns over industry's failed self-regulation.

Researchers from the University of Bristol counted 29,145 gambling messages across TV, radio, and social media during the Premier League's opening weekend.
This represents a 165% increase from last year, with the West Ham United vs. Aston Villa match alone featuring 6,491 gambling messages.
The study criticizes the gambling industry's self-regulation efforts, highlighting that recent codes of conduct have failed to reduce advertising volume.
Experts and politicians, including former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, are calling for immediate government intervention to protect vulnerable audiences, especially children.
The Betting and Gaming Council disputes the findings, arguing that existing regulations and safer gambling messages are sufficient, but critics demand stricter enforcement.