GambleAware demands “urgent action” on gambling advertising

Summary

GambleAware has called on UK authorities to take urgent steps to rein in the scale and content of gambling advertising. The charity highlighted the impact of its recent three-year campaign, “Let’s Open Up About Gambling” (April 2023–May 2025), saying over 90% of the target audience took action to seek help and about two in five had conversations about gambling harm. Despite this, GambleAware says stigma remains a barrier and points to rising industry ad spend (now around £2bn a year) as a key concern.

The charity is being replaced by the NHS as the statutory commissioner for research, prevention and treatment under the new levy system and plans to close on 31 March. GambleAware urges the incoming commissioners to adopt a public-health approach, continue anti-stigma work and implement tighter advertising rules — including mandatory health warnings and stronger signposting to free support. MPs have warned charities face a funding cliff edge and urged interim funding while NHS funding frameworks are finalised.

Key Points

GambleAware urges “urgent action” to curb gambling advertising in the UK amid growing ad spend (~£2bn/year).
The charity’s “Let’s Open Up About Gambling” campaign ran from April 2023 to May 2025 and reportedly prompted help-seeking in over 90% of its target audience.
GambleAware calls for health warnings on all gambling ads and clearer signposting to free support services.
The NHS will replace GambleAware as the statutory commissioner under a new levy; GambleAware plans to close on 31 March.
Concerns remain about a funding gap for third-sector organisations (eg Gordon Moody); MPs are pressing the Government for interim funding while long-term NHS arrangements are finalised.

Why should I read this?

If you work in UK gambling, player protection or charity funding, this is worth two minutes. It flags a likely change in who runs gambling-harm prevention, a push for tougher ad rules (think mandatory health warnings) and a real risk of funding gaps for frontline support services. In short: policy, PR and funding shifts are coming — and fast.

Author style

Punchy: This matters. GambleAware’s findings and calls put advertising and funding at the top of the 2026 regulatory agenda — operators, policymakers and charities should pay attention now.