Bookies' ads featuring the faces and voices of celebs, footballers and influencers are about to become a thing of the past under new gambling laws.
Celebrities, particularly in the sporting world, have been a common feature in gambling ads for many years. This will change from October.
Paddy Power has led long advertising campaigns featuring the likes of Roma manager Joe Mourinho, former England striker Peter Crouch and AGF player Jack Wilshere.
Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has featured in a Betvictor campaign while Love Island star Chris Hughes has appeared on behalf of Coral Racing.
But the appearance of celebrities in gambling ads has long been a point of frustration for many.
Paul Merson, the former Arsenal and England attacker and a recovered gambling addict told BBC sport that the appearance of celebrities on betting adverts “sickens” him.
In the UK each year, there are more than 409 suicides associated with problem gambling, according to estimates from Public Health England.
Why will celebrities be banned from gambling ads?
The new rules have been introduced to stop gambling companies from targeting those under 18.
Famous faces likely to have a “strong appeal” to young people are to be scratched from the list of possible endorsers.
The new rules state that people featuring in ads must not "be likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture."
References to video games, their culture or gameplay are also banned.
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The rules have been introduced by the Committee for Advertising Practice, which said the rules have been brought in as an act of safeguarding.
The committee’s director, Shahriar Coupal, said: "By ending these practices, our new rules invite a new era for gambling ads, more particular to the adult audience they can target and more befitting of the age-restricted product they're promoting."
Chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, Michael Dugher, responded positively to the changes, saying they "drive up standards and ensure further protections in advertising."
Some people feel that new rules don’t go far enough, however.
Chairman of Peers for Gambling Reform, Lord Don Foster, was happy about the new rules but felt there was more to be done, with the removal of famous faces not enough to stop ads from reaching younger audiences completely.
He said: "It won't stop gambling advertisements appearing on the shirts of children's sporting heroes nor many of the other concerning actions of gambling companies who spend over £1.5bn a year promoting their products.
"The government should ban all links between sport and gambling, all inducements, such as so-called "free" bets, and direct marketing to individual customers and take steps to reduce all forms of gambling advertising”.
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