According to the BBC, a new study from the University of Bristol has revealed the proliferation of gambling advertising in the Premier League and raised serious doubts about the effectiveness of the current ban.
The core data of the study shows that in a game between Manchester City and Wolves on August 16, there were as many as 5,262 visible betting advertisements, 91% of which were displayed during the game. This data sets a record since the study began in 2023.
This discovery exposed a huge loophole in the ban. The ban is an industry self-regulatory agreement that only prohibits TV advertising during live games, but does not restrict other forms of advertising such as jersey sponsorships and courtside billboards. Data shows that during the opening week of the Premier League this season, only during the period when the "ban" was in effect, there were as many as 13,200 pieces of visible gambling information, a year-on-year surge of 32%.
The research also found a phenomenon worthy of attention. Among the advertisements for a single game, 2,412 came from 13 companies that had not obtained operating licenses in the UK.