Sky to Limit Gambling Ads
Since a lot of attention has been focused on gambling addiction and consumer protection of late, one of the big TV satellites and pay per view providers – Sky will be implementing a new policy. The company has reported to the media that they will be limiting the number of gambling ads seen on their platform.
Gambling ads will now be limited on Sky before the beginning of the upcoming Premier Football League season, which will be starting on August next year. The satellite TV provider will be reducing the amount of sports gambling ads to having just one on each commercial break. This new policy will be applicable on all the channels where it sells advertising.
The New Sky Gambling Ads Policy
At present, gambling adverts cannot be shown on the TV before 21:00hrs in the UK, due to the latest changes in the gambling laws. The restriction doesn’t apply to sports gambling through which sees about four sports gambling adverts during one commercial break.
However, this new policy will now restrict all types of gambling ads that include bingo, online casinos, poker and sports betting. This new policy is a voluntary move that Sky has taken in a way to support responsible gambling groups that have been pushing the local government to implement wide-reaching restraints on gambling ads.
Together with this new policy, Sky is also creating a new technology that will offer its viewers an opportunity to block the gambling ads on all the Virgin Media TV platforms. This technology is referred to as AdSmart and will be introduced in June 2010. It will be activated on more than 140 channels.
Overview
Stephen van Rooyen, Ireland and Sky UK’s CEO reported to the media that their customers had been worried about the number of gambling ads that show on TV and they have considered their worries. He further says that they are committed to limiting the number of gambling ads across all Sky channels and will do their best to protect those affected by problem gambling.