DCMS told to align gambling advertising laws for Stormont

DCMS has been urged to intervene and align online gambling advertising protections for Northern Ireland with the rest of the UK.

The demand was made by members of the All-Party Group of the Stormont Assembly on Gambling Harms Reduction, who wrote to DCMS Secretary of State Lisa Nandy to “bridge the gap on gambling advertising.”

Led by Chairman Philip McGuigan (Sinn Féin) and Deputy Robbie Butler (UUP), the All-Party Group considers Northern Ireland an outlier in gambling legislation within the UK.

Gambling in Northern Ireland is governed by the NI Betting, Gaming, Lotteries & Amusements Order of 1985, applied under a separate legal system.

The Order was amended in 2022 to allow gambling venues to operate on Sundays and to introduce new criminal liabilities. However, Stormont failed to approve any amendments related to the governance of online gambling.

MLAs believe that Northern Ireland is exposed by an outdated gambling framework, which provides no legislation for online gambling and leaves advertising beyond its control.

Northern Ireland’s gambling laws will face further scrutiny as the Republic of Ireland has approved the Gambling Regulation Bill, introducing modernised controls and protections for gambling activities, including regulation of advertising times, locations, and platforms through the new Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI)

The letter to DCMS stated: “We urge you to use your existing powers under the Gambling Act 2005 to take immediate action on gambling advertising and promotion and protect people across these islands from further gambling-related harm.”

Intervention on gambling advertising is required as Northern Ireland has the “highest levels of gambling-related harm across these islands,” leaving the public vulnerable to aggressive advertising by UK-licensed operators.

Lisa Nandy is urged to use DCMS powers under the Gambling Act 2005 to limit gambling advertising during major sports events, protect children and vulnerable individuals from targeted gambling promotions, and align Northern Ireland’s regulations with Ireland’s recent restrictions.

Following Northern Ireland’s General Election in July, the All-Party Group submitted 57 proposals to establish a new Gambling Bill to replace the outdated 1985 Order.

Despite having bipartisan support, the All-Party Group was informed by the Department for Communities (DfC) that the Assembly had no plans to consider a Bill of such scale and complexity.

“While remote gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission can freely advertise in Northern Ireland, as online and broadcast advertising is a reserved matter, our population is afforded no protection by the regulator.

“However, you have the power under existing laws to prevent our children from being bombarded with gambling-related marketing during major sports broadcasts, such as Premier League matches, and to prevent those already experiencing gambling harms from being targeted by gambling companies on social media.

“Introducing restrictions similar to those in Ireland would have a profound benefit for Northern Ireland, Britain, and Ireland, where British TV is widely watched.”

DCMS has issued a reply stating that it will respond to the letter from the All-Party Group in due course, addressing MLAs’ concerns about gambling advertising.