Research shows gambling ads in 95% of televised football matches

Figures show that one in five adverts broadcast across 25 British football matches were for betting firms, rising to more than one in three in some games, The Telegraph reported.

The researchers counted the number of adverts from the build-up to the match, through to the post-match chat on BT Sport, Sky Sports and ITV. They found that in these matches there was a total of 1,324 commercials and sponsorship idents, and of these, 272 were for gambling.

The gambling industry in the UK is facing pressure by authorities as recent figures by the UK Gambling Commission showed that more than two million people in the country deal with gambling problems or are at risk of addiction. Gambling companies currently are banned from advertising on TV before the 9pm watershed (live sport excepted), The Telegraph reported.

News come as the government readies a to deliver a highly-anticipated review of the gambling sector analyzing gambling advertisements that might appeal to children. Furthermore, the review that is being led by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, will say whether the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) should be cut.