Adverts for online bingo sites and casinos have sometimes been controversial. Complaints that they may appeal to children or that they encourage irresponsible gambling have been taken seriously and now the industry faces new regulations when it comes to advertising their services.
New advertising guidelines for gambling
The new guidelines have been issued by the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling following a review commissioned by the Department for Culture Media and Sport. 
One of the main ways the new guidelines will affect bingo players is that sign up bonuses or welcome offers can no longer be advertised before the 9 o’clock watershed. All television and print adverts must also now display the Gamble Aware logo more prominently. “In the hierarchy of regulation the Industry Code remains the junior partner, but as a responsible industry it is right that we should continue to work proactively to identify measures that supplement what is required of us by our regulators,” said Barry Hardy, chairman of the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling. He continued: “The gambling industry has a responsibility to ensure that it takes all reasonable steps to minimise the extent of problem gambling and to prevent underage gambling from taking place. Socially responsible advertising is essential if that is to be achieved.” The government’s sports minister Tracey Crouch has welcomed the move but insists that more can be done to stop young people gambling. The MP said: “I welcome the IGRG’s steps taken to strengthen the industry code and end sign-up offers on television before 9PM. However, I also want to see gambling operators, regulators and social media firms come together to examine if more needs to be done to ensure that marketing for gambling products is not reaching young people through social media. “I will continue to look at the issue of gambling advertising regularly and will not hesitate to take further action if necessary to protect people from being harmed by gambling.”