The House of Lords Liaison Committee has recommended a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising, marketing and sponsorship in Great Britain. The recommendation appears in its follow-up report, Gambling Harm: Time for Action, published on 17 September 2026.

The report increases political and regulatory pressure, but it does not create an immediate ban or change the rules for licensed operators.

The proposal is not legislation. It sets no effective date and does not impose new obligations on operators. Ministers must decide whether to introduce legislation, use existing regulatory powers or adopt a targeted package of restrictions.

What the committee wants

The cross-party committee said a full ban would be the most effective way to reduce gambling-related harm. It called on the Government to implement the measure as soon as practicable.

The committee recognised that a transition period and limited exemptions would be needed. Its proposed approach would cover more than television commercials.

  • Digital advertising and content marketing
  • Sports sponsorship and advertising in sports venues
  • Direct marketing and affiliate activity
  • Influencer promotions and social media campaigns
  • Advertising formats that blur the line between marketing and editorial content

The report highlighted the rapid growth of online marketing. It said advertising spend can fall while public exposure increases because digital campaigns are cheaper and can reach large audiences across several channels.

Fallback measures if ministers reject a full ban

If the Government does not accept a comprehensive ban, the committee wants urgent targeted action. Its recommendations include:

  • Putting gambling advertising rules on a statutory footing
  • Giving the Gambling Commission a central role in enforcement
  • Tightening controls on digital advertising and content marketing
  • Strengthening restrictions on direct marketing, affiliates and social media influencers
  • Reviewing advertising in sports broadcasts, sports venues and sports sponsorships
  • Evaluating whether lottery advertising should also face restrictions

The report also calls for primary legislation to address limits on the Government’s existing powers over online gambling advertising by unlicensed operators.

No immediate change for licensed operators

Great Britain’s current framework remains in force. Gambling Commission licence holders must market gambling products in a socially responsible way. They must also comply with advertising codes issued by the Committees of Advertising Practice and administered by the Advertising Standards Authority.

Under Licence Condition 5.1.6, compliance with those advertising codes forms part of the licensing framework. Depending on the circumstances, a breach can lead to:

  • A licence review
  • A financial penalty
  • Suspension of a licence
  • Revocation of a licence

The Advertising Standards Authority already restricts gambling advertising with strong appeal to under-18s. Its current guidance covers content, placement, social media and audience composition. Those rules are separate from the Lords committee’s proposed policy change.

Why the recommendation matters

The report puts pressure on a system shared by the Advertising Standards Authority, the Gambling Commission and Government departments. The committee said the largely self-regulatory model does not adequately control the volume, channels and changing formats of gambling marketing.

It also argued that a partial ban could push operators to move campaigns into alternative channels instead of reducing overall exposure. For that reason, the committee presented a comprehensive ban as its preferred long-term option, with targeted restrictions as a fallback or transition measure.

The committee estimated that between 1.0 million and 1.5 million adults in Great Britain gamble in a way that may be described as problem gambling. It linked gambling-related harm to financial pressure, relationship breakdown, mental ill health and, in the most serious cases, suicide.

The report acknowledged concerns about the illegal market. It said the evidence submitted to the inquiry did not clearly show that advertising restrictions on licensed operators would cause large-scale movement to unlicensed gambling services.

What happens next

The report does not create a legal ban. Ministers must decide whether to introduce primary legislation, amend existing regulations or ask the Gambling Commission and the Advertising Standards Authority to develop tighter rules within their current powers.

For operators serving customers in Great Britain, the immediate effect is increased regulatory risk rather than a new advertising prohibition. Campaigns involving young people, influencers, affiliates, sponsorship and direct marketing are likely to face closer scrutiny while the Government considers its response.

The recommendation applies to Great Britain. Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man do not operate under one identical gambling advertising framework. The House of Lords report does not itself change their rules.