Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with broadcasters on suspending betting adverts during the European Championships to protect people at risk of gambling-related harm.

Broadcasters have discretion over how advertising breaks are set and what adverts are broadcast, in line with Ofcom and ASA standards. However, the Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising prohibits most gambling adverts from being shown before 9pm, including a whistle-to-whistle ban for live sporting events.

All gambling adverts, wherever they appear, are subject to strict controls on content and placement, and gambling adverts must never be targeted at children or vulnerable people. The Advertising Standards Authority independently administers these standards through the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) which covers online and non-broadcast spaces and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) for TV.