The Big Step, an organization advocating for social responsibility, has called for the removal of gambling ads from football in the UK. It is estimated that over 20 million people, including millions of children, will watch the upcoming fixture. Although advertisements are not allowed during live sport before the 9 pm watershed under the “whistle-to-whistle ban,” they are permitted before the match starts and after the watershed. The Big Step expressed disappointment in the presence of gambling advertising during ITV’s coverage of the UEFA European Football Championship and emphasized that this promotion could lead to gambling-related harm.
As a charity supporting bereaved families, The Big Step is well aware of the damaging effects of gambling. The organization hopes that ITV will reconsider its position to prevent further suffering among families across the country. With millions of children expected to tune in to watch the England squad take on Denmark, The Big Step requested that ITV suspends gambling advertising for the entire broadcast, not just within the whistle-to-whistle timeframe.
The Big Step firmly believes in ending all gambling promotion in football, and it has gained the support of various professional teams, including League Two’s Forest Green Rovers. In May, Forest Green Rovers chairman Dale Vince OBE expressed his opposition to gambling advertising, stating that it is an abuse of football and football fans.
