LONDON (AP) — Some advertising for bookmakers will disappear from live broadcasts of sports in Britain from next year.
The Industry Group for Responsible Gambling says from the summer of 2019 a "whistle to whistle" ban on betting advertising will apply to all live sports — apart from horse and greyhound racing — televised before 9 p.m.
Betting adverts must stop five minutes before the event starts and only resume five minutes after the conclusion. Bookmakers will also be prevented from sponsoring sports show before 9 p.m.
But betting adverts can still appear within a sports arena, as they do around fields at Premier League games flashing the in-game odds.
Still, the government welcomed gambling companies recognizing the need to respond to public concerns about the proliferation of betting advertising.
Culture secretary Jeremy Wright says "it is vital children and vulnerable people are protected from the threat of gambling-related harm. Companies must be socially responsible."
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