August 1st, 2023, Christien Pheby
The Guardian Newspaper Group recently announced a global ban on gambling advertising (with the exception of lotteries) claiming that it was unethical to take money from services that can lead to “addiction and financial ruin.” New YouGov data indicates that the public agrees with the move – and thinks it should set an example for other companies in the industry.
Overall, three quarters of Britons (73%) support The Guardian’s ban, with just 5% in opposition. The same proportion believe that other newspaper groups should follow suit (73% vs. 5%).
Most Britons (57%) believe that newspapers should be held accountable for the problem of gambling addiction, with a fifth saying they should take a great deal of responsibility (20%) and nearly two in five saying they should take a fair amount (37%). This might partially explain why, despite general support, over half suspect there is a degree of cynicism in The Guardian’s ban: 53% say the newspaper are trying to maintain a positive public image for themselves, with 28% saying they have a sincere desire to tackle the issue of compulsive gambling.
Whether genuine or not, it’s a move that’s in tune with the public mood. Most Britons (76% vs. 9%) support an outright ban on gambling advertising; by comparison, just 44% support a similar ban for alcohol and 45% support a ban on fast food.
What’s more, two-thirds of Britons (65%) think prohibiting ads would make the problem of gambling addiction better, with 24% saying it would make no difference and 4% saying it would make it worse.
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YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on 22-23 June 2023, with a nationally representative sample of 2000 adults in Great Britain (aged 18+ years), using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education and social grade to be representative of [all adults in Great Britain ] (18 years or older), and reflect the latest ONS AUTHORITY population estimates. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.