BGC teams up with tech giants to enhance advertising safeguards

BGC members such as Flutter, Bet365 and William Hill, have joined the project along with members of the Advertising Association and Lotteries Council. Tech platforms such as Google, Twitter, Meta and Snap have also agreed to contribute.

The forum will look build on the commitments made in the Sixth Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising, which demands that operators ensure all sponsored or paid for social media adverts are aimed at people aged 25 and over – unless it can be proved the adverts meet a standard of age targeting verified by an agreed upon third party.

The code also comes with a requirement that gambling ads which appear on search engines must make emphasise that these products are for those aged 18 and above. The adverts in question must also include safer gambling messages.

Michael Dugher, chief executive of the BGC, said: “I am delighted that the BGC has been able to co-ordinate the Adtech Forum, which I’m sure will come up with new ways of protecting young people and the vulnerable online.

“Since being set up two years ago, we have worked tirelessly to drive up standards and promote safer gambling, and this is proof of our determination to go even further.”

The BGC recently called on the government to put child protection at the “front and centre” of the upcoming Gambling White Paper.

The body itself has taken its own responsible gaming strides since being founded in 2019. These include the introduction of a social media code of conduct for football clubs and gambling websites, and its members implementing a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling ads during football matches.

Stephen Woodford, chief executive of the Advertising Association, added: “We welcome the proactive work by the gambling industry with tech platforms and advertising bodies. It is essential that gambling ads online and in social media meet the highest standards of social responsibility.”