Sky TV has promised to limit the number of gambling adverts the broadcaster shows per commercial break.
The company has pledged to limit the ads in order to protect “children and the vulnerable” as more and more companies have begun criticising gambling adverts before the watershed and during live sporting events.
Sky TV’s chief Stephen van Rooyen announced the news yesterday (November 4), admitting that the number of bookmarks’ ads have become “deafening” and praising the Daily Mail’s campaign against the advertisements.
According to Rooyen, limiting the advertising would cost the broadcaster money but it was the “right and proportional” thing to do.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Rooyen said: “It’s a great step forward. It’s a response to our customers and a response to the Daily Mail’s campaign to dial it down.
“Our customers are worried about gambling ads on TV, and we understand their concerns.”
In addition to limiting the advertising, Sky is also going to release technology that enables users to block gambling advertisements when watching on Sky and Virgin Media TV platforms.
Known as AdSmart, the service is expected to launch June 2020 across more than ten channels including Sky Sports.
The news comes during Responsible Gambling Week and following an outcry over the number of gambling ads aired during live sporting events. Just last month, the Church of England backed support for a ban on gambling advertisements.
Meanwhile, Labour also announced a series of new policies to tackle the issue of problem gambling, including a ban on gambling ads during live sporting events.
The boss and owner of bookmakers Ladbrokes and Coral joined in on the debate by urging for ban up to the 9 pm watershed and claiming that the number of ads appearing during football games got “out of hand”.
