TV and Radio Advertising Stopped in the UK During Lockdown

In 2020, it’s not like any typical year. Shops are closed, people told to stay at home, and businesses struggling to survive. During the Coronavirus epidemic, and the lockdown in full effect, life has to take a turn for the worse. Because people have so much time on their hands, measures have been put in place to protect the vulnerable during downtime. To reduce gambling during a difficult time, and with sports events cancelled or postponed, TV and Radio advertising stopped in the UK.

The date for this is provisionally agreed to on the 5th of June 2020. This may increase depending on how the lockdown pans out in Great Britain and the damage of COVID-19. With sports temporarily stopped there have been fears of a surge in casino betting online. Leading gambling companies in the UK have banded together. Alongside the Betting and Gaming Council, they plan on reducing the chances of addiction with no advertising.

Why Has TV and Radio Advertising Stopped in the UK?

While the lockdown exists, it’s going to be increasingly difficult for gambling addicts to curb their problem. With so much spare time, and many even losing their jobs, how could they afford a betting increase? For this reason, traditional media advertising such as Radio and TV stopped. Instead, the money will go towards charities, contracts suspended if possible and for messages to promote betting safety instead. Mental health is a constant battle, especially at this time. Especially when you consider no sports at this time, although that looks like changing soon.

In the past month, 15% of gamblers ramped up their time betting online, according to Neil McArthur, CE of UKGC. This figure even went up to 60% for ‘engaged gamblers’. Matt Zarb-Cousin, lead on the Clean Up Gambling campaign also explained how even direct marketing through SMS messages should also stop. However, expert Claire Enders expects this focus to lean towards online promotion in the future if traditional methods stop.

The Figures Suggest a Decrease in Spend on Advertising in the Industry

What’s worrying about the industry is the decrease in figures, in terms of consumption, and spend overall on advertising. With several sanctions and plenty of rules put in place already by the UKGC, GDPR, and many other practices, how does the future look? Nielsen, a research company for gambling businesses, already states advertising spend has gone down up to March 2020. That decreased another 6% to 12% in total year on year.

BGC CE Michael Dugher opposes the idea that betting will increase during the lockdown. He stated: “There hasn’t been an explosion in people betting online as some had predicted. In fact, the opposite is true with total revenue down by up to 60 percent.”

GambleAware claimed in 2017 that a total of £1.5bn went towards marketing in 2017. These figures are available every three years, with that figure up 56% from 2014.

What Does the Short-Term Future Look Like for Betting?

With the June clamp down on advertising soon approaching, an extension is possible. But this depends on the nature of the lockdown. If the spread of the novel virus reduces, people will return to sports betting shops and casinos. In addition, sports will slowly return, meaning more people can bet on the likes of Football, Tennis, and Rugby. However, should the virus continue to spread and the lockdown persists, it’s difficult to see the use of traditional advertising. It makes sense to temporarily stop TV and Radio advertising when people struggle indoors, both mentally and financially.