Family TV shows ‘fuelling Britain’s gambling problem’
STOPTHE GAMBLING PREDATORS
‘Sign-up procedures’
FAMILY TV shows are fuelling Britain’s gambling epidemic, a Mail investigation reveals today.
Thousands of viewers have become addicted to online casinos based on programmes such as Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor.
Gamblers whose spending on the spinoff games is out of control can ask to be blocked from playing. And figures obtained by the Daily Mail show that 13,488 people did so last year – 37 a day.
The online casinos are developed by Gaming Realms, which also has deals with Dancing On Ice, Love Island, Take Me Out, The Chase and Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?
The Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor games websites feature ‘slingo’ – a bingostyle with prizes of up to £20,000. Customers win ‘VIP’ status if they wager large sums. Rewards can include 10 per cent cashback on losses, birthday gifts, concert tickets, hotel stays and iPads.
The gambling companies say they have strict policies and systems to stop under18s playing. But campaigners and politicians condemned the games.
‘The industry’s ability to normalise and glamorise gambling, which in turn fuels the rise in problem gambling, is indicative of the depths they are prepared to stoop,’ said Labour MP Carolyn Harris, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on gambling.
‘I’m disappointed such popular shows and personalities are implicated in this dreadful use of popular broadcasting to attract gamblers.
‘I would hope they are unaware rather than complicit with the problems.’
Matt Zarb-Cousin, of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, said: ‘Betting brands are becoming entrenched in popular culture. This has given rise to the misplaced perception that gambling is much safer than it is.’
Terry White, a campaigner and exaddict who lost £250,000 gambling, said: ‘These programmes and the celebrities involved are endorsing gambling, which I find abhorrent. Why in heaven’s name a show like Dancing on Ice needs a gambling website is beyond me.
‘All these celebrities, television programmes and anybody linked to production companies need to take a close look at what they seem to be endorsing and normalising. They are attracting people who wouldn’t normally gamble but are fans of the shows.
‘These websites based on TV programmes are very, very dangerous and the Gambling Commission need to look closely at the operators behind them.’
The TV gaming sites are run by the Bear Group, a subsidiary of Gaming Realms, which specialises in games for smartphones and tablets. Clients include betting giants such as Betvictor and 888.
Last year, the company announced a licensing agreement with ITV to produce games based on Dancing on Ice, The Only Way Is Essex and Hell’s Kitchen. This followed the success of a Love Island site which launched in summer 2017.
David Walliams, one of the judges on Britain’s Got Talent, faced criticism after appearing in a series of radio promotions for Gaming Realms last year.
He did not respond to multiple requests for comment yesterday. A spokesman for the Bear Group said: ‘Bear Group takes its responsibilities to players, operators and regulators very seriously.
‘It has strict policies and sign-up procedures in place to prevent under- age gaming, and holds itself up to the highest industry standards.
‘It is also an advocate of selfexclusion and will immediately close a player’s account if they submit a self-exclusion request.’ An ITV spokesman said: ‘ITV’s commerce and ventures team has brand licence agreements with a range of operators including Gaming Realms/ Bear Group and numerous film and TV brands appear on these platforms. These are highly regulated sites and only available to players aged 18-plus.’
The websites based around Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor have existed since 2016 under a deal with FremantleMedia. A Fremantle spokesman said: ‘Fremantle licenses its programme brands to a number of gaming operators including Gaming Realms.
‘These platforms are highly regulated and access to these sites is only available to players aged 18 years and over.’
The Gambling Commission said the Advertising Standards Authority had strict and clear rules to prevent gambling ads from encouraging gambling that was ‘socially irresponsible or could lead to financial, social or emotional harm’.
A spokesman added: ‘If gambling firms break those rules, the Gambling Commission can also take action which can include fining the offending firm.’
There are no specific rules on the use of television programmes or celebrities to promote gambling.