Gambling firms agree ‘whistle-to-whistle’ ban on TV adverts during sporting events

Betting company adverts will not be shown during live sports broadcasts

Britain's most prominent gambling companies have reached an agreement over a 'whistle-to-whistle' ban over television adverts during live sport. Following political pressure to reduce the number of betting adverts on TV, the Remote Gambling Association (RGA), which includes the likes of Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and Bet365, have struck the deal amid concerns the adverts were normalising betting. The BBC reported last month that The Gambling Commission had said there are 430,000 problem gamblers in the UK, with the RGA indicating that they were 'very mindful of public concerns'. The ban will come into force when the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG) approve the proposal, something which is expected to be a formality. It is also set to cover all sports with the exception of horse racing, which relies heavily on betting. The agreement is set to have the biggest impact on football, with the BBC pointing out that 60% of clubs in England's top two divisions currently have betting companies as shirt sponsors.