Global sports betting operator GVC Holdings has called for an end to sports betting advertising on live and repeated televised sporting events, excluding horseracing, in the UK.
The company has announced new responsible gaming initiatives, including provisions for advertising specifically promoting responsible gambling and safer gambling campaigns, limited to one advertisement per break.
GVC says the voluntary pre-watershed, whistle-to-whistle advertising ban announced in December does not go far enough, and wants other companies to "join it in helping to revolutionise the marketing of gambling brands."
GVC has outlined further initiatives as part of its Changing for the Bettor campaign. These include ending all shirt sponsorship deals with UK football teams and banning match-side hoardings at grounds, increasing investment in research, education and treatment, establishing treatment centres and safer gambling software.
Kenny Alexander, GVC CEO, said: "Increasing investment in research, education and treatment ten-fold by 2022, funding treatment centres and using technology to intervene before a problem develops, alongside our existing behavioural analytics, brings to life our commitment to be the most trusted and enjoyable betting operator in the world.
"The industry should and can do more to protect the vulnerable, and today’s announcement demonstrates GVC’s commitment to delivering on that."
