From 1 November 2014 only gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission will be permitted to advertise to consumers in Great Britain or provide them with remote gambling facilities. If a gambling operator is licensed, and the ASA receives a complaint about one of their ads, then it would continue to assess the complaint made, provided the ad objected to falls within the scope of the CAP or BCAP Code.

However, if it were to receive a complaint about an ad from an operator who is unlicensed, the ASA would simply refer the operator to the Gambling Commission, as they would be breaking the law.

In order to demonstrate whether they’re licensed, operators should provide a link to their licensed status with the Gambling Commission on all pages that are used to access gambling services. The Commission’s register of licensed operators can also be accessed to ascertain whether the operator has a license or not.

The change will affect not only gambling operators but also those who carry advertising such as broadcasters, publishers and sports clubs. The position in Northern Ireland is different, as it has its own legislation.

For further guidance on the rules surrounding gambling advertisements you can read our handy Help Note or one of our many Advice Online articles. You can also contact the Copy Advice team, who are happy to advise further on non-broadcast advertising, just submit your enquiry via our website


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