Online betting promotions have changed a lot in the UK. No longer is a £10 free bet the standard – although they still exist. Today’s betting offers are tailored odds boosts on in-play bets sent to players when their football team is playing. It’s bonus promo codes for free bets sent to influencers on TikTok. In fact, even regular punters – the people actually interested in these offers – mostly say they’re seeing them advertised too much.

Politicians, regulators and bettors are increasingly asking for clarity as to how and why targeted promos were offered. Or what exactly the terms are on a free bet offer posted on social media. But, fixing the situation might not be as simple as you think. 

Betting Offers are Increasingly Targeted – And Politicians are Asking Questions

In the US in recent years gambling firms have been banned from using terms like “risk free” in their promotions in various states.

However the UK’s betting regulation has always had a somewhat more common sense approach, and the general consensus is that punters understand free bets aren’t exactly free and they should read the T&Cs before taking up an offer. 

Even if this isn’t’ always true, free bets and the like aren’t likely to be on the chopping block in the UK anytime soon. Although various campaign groups continue to call them out for being misleading. 

However, there has been quiet change in these offers in recent years. Namely, the way they are being personalised by algorithms – and targeted at specific bettors under specific conditions. This has proved very controversial with anti gambling campaign groups and, increasingly, regulators and politicians. 

These concerns were even brought up recently in the House of Lords, as the Government continues to debate even more gambling reforms. 

The state of affairs has even got confusing who people who enjoy a responsible gamble. With so much choice now available, its difficult for punters to keep up with the latest bonus options and their terms – let alone data analytics-powered and precision targeted offers. 

In fact, there’s so much competition that today bettors often turn to comparison sites that can explain things like how the bet365 promo code works. In a crowded market players look to third party sites that present all the bonus codes for the UK’s biggest bookmakers in one place. As well as a way to compare other features like depth of markets, payment speeds and general user experience. 

Betting is Big Business (and Tax Money) But Even Bettors are Concerned 

Britain has a long history with gambling, and it has survived many attempts to outlaw or supress it – by monarchs and parliament alike. Yet the fact remains, that even punters are not happy with the amount of betting ads they are getting today. 

Research from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission says that more than 60% of sports bettors think they see to much marketing. Polling also suggests most football fans want to see less betting advertising – in the game and more generally in society.

So why has it not been restricted further yet? Well, one reason is that betting is big business. Which might partly why explain why the government has been accused of being slow to react. For example, Denise Coates, owner of Bet365, was the UK’s biggest individual taxpayer for many years. 

Her company has been highlighted in the gambling sector as revolutionary and its global business brings tens of millions a year back into the British economy. Betting firms also spend big money through London marketing firms and back end tech suppliers, which contributes to the wider economy. 

Another reason is that the government recently finished a big overhaul of betting legislation, and enacting it is already proving difficult and controversial. A raft of further changes to personalized offer rules and advertising restrictions would be an even tougher prospect. One that might not be high on the priority list for the Labour government right now. 

Lack of Clarity in Guidance, Says London Mayor over Gambling Ads

The government’s unclear stance on what kind of gambling ads and offers can be posted where and when recently came into the headlines in London. 

After declaring two years ago he would end gambling advertising on the tube, Mayor Sadiq Khan has this year blamed unclear rules from the government that have stopped him being able to do so.

The government has not so far ever legally classified any gambling advert as causing harm, even in circumstances related to problem gambling. Mayor Khan says this means if he banned gambling ads on the network, he would open to a lawsuit. And without government evidence to point to, its one the Mayor’s office might not win. 

The business says that under UK regulation it offers lots of tools and resources to stop problem gambling before it begins, and that most people who gamble in the UK do so recreationally and responsibly. However, campaign groups say that these ads are harmful to people who have existing gambling problems – a position which has been hard to prove when actually studied. 

Regardless of who is right, over the last two years the number of gambling ads on Transport for London network services has doubled. Operators are spending tens of millions on these ads. Which, of course, is revenue for the public transport network.