Celebrities seeming to promote gambling

duju, I heartily agree with you, but would go a step further and suggest that all gambling adverts should be banned.
On TV , the companies make it look so easy to get started and portray gambling as a social event, where you can join others enjoying yourself.
Sitting alone and houseboud, I imagine it would be so easy to be seduced by those adverts for online bingo.
I know of someone whose life was ruined by gambling, it has taken them ten years to finally get out of the mess. They lost everything. ☹️

I am with you Marydoll I would like to see all gambling adverts taken off TV.

The online gambling industry is worth millions in the U.K.
There are dreadful stories of people getting into serious debt, many are under 18’s using their parents cards and details.
A lot of card and identity theft is connected to online gambling.
It should not be advertised.

Yes Gambling adverts should be banned. Yes agree Harry Redknap and Ant and Dec have gone down in my estimation doing anything for money a disgrace.

Gambling is a major problem for some people but not for others. The question for lawmakers is whether it should be treated like cigarettes (no adverts) or alcohol where adverts are allowed with a 'drink aware' warning. I am unconvinced by the warnings but not sure if a ban is necessary. A restriction (perhaps to a factual advert without celebrities and glamour) might be the answer.

I am always startled by the idea that £10 is a small bet. I am a regular on-line gambler who would regard this a huge bet! I suspect I am unusual in that I have always kept records and I know that I lose; so the fun in making a little money go a long way. I can bet 10p online but, of course, it is never advertised and it does not have a macho image.

If you were wondering, why bet if you ultimately lose, I think the answer is that it's the fun of the chase. Of course, it could be some deep-seated insecurity but, since only costs me £20 a year, it is for me a manageable vice. I recognise, of course, that it is not for everyone.

I don't think it should be banned, just because some people have addiction problems, or cannot control themselves. Do we ban alcohol ads, lets be honest, alcoholism is responsible for breaking up of families, violence, and in some cases killing people by drunken driving.

I really do not agree we should ban things because of the minority, when most people drink and gamble responsibly. Do we ban lotto ads, which is another form of gambling.

I am tired that we must ban things because of the minority who have either addiction or no self control.I like a drink, and I am in a lottery syndicate at work, it's fun and I do everything responsibly, I feel no need to feel responsible for other people. Advertising does not make ne irresponsible.

I am afraid people must take responsibility for themselves and stop blaming everyone and everything else.

duju and Marydoll I agree with you.

The other adverts promoted by celebrities, such as equity release, funeral plans etc aimed at the elderly also annoy me very much.
They are also a form of gambling; my MIL took one out with a firm still advertised by Carol Vordermann; she must have paid in three times as much over the years as the policy paid out after her death.

It is the greed of the rich celebrities I find so annoying.

Yes. I agree there are a lot of gambling ads on television, too many, and yes I’m sure these celebrities do gain enough money through their other activities, they are everywhere, the more money they have the more they seem to want, I’d like to see a lot less, but I very much doubt they will be banned, Shame really

There is nothing wrong with gambling responsibly, my husband likes a bet on the horses, I have been known to back the odd horse or buy a raffle ticket.
What I'm saying is that using celebrities to promote gambling is not in my opinion (and only my opinion) acceptable

The gambling industry announced the voluntary measure last year, of banning gambling adverts during televised sporting events, in an apparent effort to address mounting concern about the volume of gambling adverts on television and their impact on children and vulnerable people.

Research has shown that exposure to gambling at a young age and the glamourisation of gambling on TV, may put a child at serious risk of developing a gambling addiction later on in life.
Not everyone has the strength of character or maturity to ignore or reject these adverts.

Yes, someone more vulnerable may admire and trust these celebrities and think that they believe in what they are promoting.

Ant and Dec have never been up in my estimation.

Agree absolutely, but then I also despise celebrities who promote the sort of insurance/funeral plans that are largely targeted at people with very few assets, or they wouldn’t need to be wondering who’s going to pay for their funeral in the first place.

I particularly used to loathe Michael Parkinson’s oh-so-cosy persuasiveness on one such ad.

I’m not vehemently against such ads - just at highly paid ‘celebs’ presumably getting paid a great deal for deliberately promoting such ‘products’ (all naturally designed to make money) to people with very little.

I am not in favour of banning things, however, I do think any ads should be realistic.

The ones showing groups of people laughing whilst playing bingo - when in fact people are sitting alone at home, those funeral plans should actually have the actor speak the words that you may get back less than you pay in rather than written in small almost unreadable letters at the bottom of the ad. - I could go on!

The ads. may be legal but they are not honest

Let people watch what they like, play what they like, drink what they like so long as they do it responsibly and dont break the law and what they do is legal.
Why object to advertising just because you do not like celebrities appearing in it, if people are that easily led then tough, why should they stop advertising to the majority just because the minority have no self control, because in the end that is what it boils down too.

I didn’t mention a ban.
As a pp said, let’s take the perceived glamour out of it & make it more factual.
I also appreciate the examples I named were never admired by some anyway.
I suppose one mans role model is another’s opinion to dismiss.
It is often the lonely & vulnerable people that could be at risk.
It probably would be untenable to ban it.... where would it stop? Even love & marriage can be an expensive, life devastating gamble. You only have to read some gransnet posts to see that.
I haven’t got an easy answer.
I just feel that allowing celebs and/or so called influential people to promote gambling & profit from it is uncomfortable for me at least.

I thought gambling was classed as an addiction.... not just a case of lack of self control.

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I don’t like celebrity endorsed advertising, particularly when any sort of finance is involved, rather than the direct purchase of an object. However what really grates on me Is when they associate themselves with the company by saying “We do ...this or that”. “Have been in business for xx years” They have probably never been near the company, just their agents, advertising agents etc. Worst of all is when they act in the commercial - step forward Carol Vodermann.

Totaly agree Marydoll.

I think the gaming industry is disgusting. Every time I log on to pages they come up offering me deals. Which is a huge problem for those tempted. Or in these days someone thinking they could make good with the tenner they offer.

I used to respect Harry Redknapp. Not now.

Ditto equity release which is another gamble.

Couldn’t agree more. So disappointed when I see people like Clive Owen and Ray Winstone, actors I’d previously quite liked, fronting these ads. They can’t need the money that desperately, surely?

You do wonder what goes through minds of these people when they decide that voicing or appearing in ads, any ads for that matter, is a good idea.
They are so greedy.
At the risk of sounding condescending, some people obviously seem to think that the celebs that they admire really do know something about the thing that they are advertising.
What about the celebs in the charity ads. Do they get paid?

Absolutely agree with all of you.
I don't know how Ray Winstone can sleep at night.
And do not get me started on Vorderman.
Some 'maths genius' - she got a third in engineering.
I didn't know about Ant & Dec - just how much money do they need?