Key Points
- Five London councils Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Hackney, and Lewisham call on Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan to ban gambling adverts on the London Underground.
- These councils joined the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), which campaigns against harmful gambling promotions.
- Sir Sadiq Khan is accused of backtracking on his 2021 re-election promise to ban such adverts.
- The Mayor’s spokesperson said government review is underway on harmful gambling and advertising impact.
- Gambling Commission statistics indicate over one million people in the UK suffer severe harm from others’ gambling each year.
- Young people are particularly affected by gambling advertising.
- Advocates such as Tracy O’Shaughnessy of GamLEARN emphasise gambling’s destructive impact on families.
- Haringey Council was the first to join CEGA in January 2025 and has some of the highest numbers of licensed gambling premises.
- Over 80 councils restrict gambling ads on the spaces they control, but lack authority over private spaces and broadcast media.
- The gambling industry spends an estimated £2 billion annually on advertising.
- CEGA Director Will Prochaska praises councils’ actions and calls for wider adoption to protect public health.
- Hackney Labour councillor Chris Kennedy highlights gambling harm as a significant but often unrecognised issue.
What are London councils demanding regarding Tube gambling ads?
Five London councils—Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Hackney, and Lewisham—have formally called on the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, to ban advertisements promoting casinos and gambling websites on the London Underground. This collective action is part of a broader campaign led by the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), which aims to reduce the spread of harmful gambling promotions in public spaces. The councils argue that gambling-related advertising contributes to embedding gambling into everyday culture, exposing millions—including children and young people—to risky marketing.youtube
Why is Sir Sadiq Khan being criticised over gambling adverts?
Sir Sadiq Khan has faced accusations of backtracking on a key pledge made in his 2021 re-election manifesto, which promised to ban gambling adverts on public transport and related spaces. While the Mayor’s office has acknowledged the concerns, a spokesperson stated that the national government is currently reviewing how best to address harmful gambling and its advertising impacts. The Mayor will consider next steps once this review concludes, indicating delays in implementing the promised advertising ban.youtube
How significant is the gambling harm problem in the UK?
Statistics published by the Gambling Commission reveal that over one million people in the UK experience severe negative consequences from someone else’s gambling each year. Young people are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of gambling, amplifying concerns about exposure through advertising. This has prompted calls for stronger regulatory measures to protect public health by limiting promotional material that normalises or encourages gambling.youtube
What do experts and advocates say about the impact of gambling adverts?
Tracy O’Shaughnessy, from the charity GamLEARN based in south-west London, shared her personal experience, highlighting how gambling addiction devastated her family after her husband’s 30-year struggle with gambling. She praised the efforts of London councils pushing back against gambling advertising, stressing that it recognises gambling addiction as a real and destructive problem that should not be promoted publicly. These testimonials underscore the human cost behind the statistics and the importance of regulatory action.youtube
How have other councils and organisations acted on gambling advertising?
Haringey Council was the first to join the CEGA coalition in January 2025, advocating for a complete end to all gambling advertising. Notably, Haringey ranks fourth among London boroughs, after Brent, Enfield, and Newham, in the number of licensed gambling premises, indicating high local gambling activity. More than 80 councils across the UK already impose restrictions on gambling advertising within their own controlled spaces, though they lack authority over private spaces such as billboards, transport networks, broadcast media, and the internet, where gambling adverts continue unchecked.youtube
What is the scale of gambling advertising expenditure?
The gambling industry is estimated to spend approximately £2 billion annually on advertising in the UK. The Coalition to End Gambling Ads warns that this relentless advertising fuels a public health crisis by embedding gambling as a normalised part of everyday life, making it difficult for vulnerable populations, including children and young people, to avoid exposure.youtube
How are local leaders responding to the gambling advertising concern?
Will Prochaska, Director of CEGA, commended the leadership of councils joining the coalition, describing it as inspiring given the national government’s slow action. Prochaska emphasised that councils across the UK recognise gambling as a public health crisis intensified by continuous advertising and that these local governments are standing up to protect their communities. He urged other councils to follow their example in opposing gambling promotions.youtube
Labour councillor Chris Kennedy, cabinet member for health at Hackney Council, stated that the council adopts a “health in all policies” approach, highlighting the well-documented but often overlooked nature of gambling-related harm. He pointed to its impact on some of the most deprived citizens, where stigma often obscures acknowledgement and assistance.
