Gambling advertising rules UK

Who sets the gambling advertising rules in the UK

Several bodies share the job, which is why gambling advertising in the UK can feel confusing. The Committee of Advertising Practice writes the non-broadcast code, its broadcast counterpart writes the code for TV and radio, and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules on complaints under both. The Gambling Commission then ties the codes to the licence: under LCCP condition 5.1.6, a licensed operator must comply with them, so a serious or repeated breach can become a licensing problem as well as an advertising one.

The gambling sections sit on top of the general rules every advert must follow, such as not misleading people. You can read the full wording in the ASA’s copy of CAP Code section 16 on gambling (opens in a new tab) and the BCAP Code gambling section (opens in a new tab). Our UK casino rules hub lists every other regulation that affects online casinos.

What UK gambling adverts must not do

The starting principle is that gambling marketing must be socially responsible, with particular regard to protecting under-18s and vulnerable people. In plain terms, a casino advert must not:

• present gambling as a way out of money worries, a substitute for work or a route to financial security;
• encourage behaviour that could lead to financial, social or emotional harm, such as chasing losses or gambling for longer;
• suggest that gambling makes you more attractive, more successful, more popular or tougher;
• link gambling to seduction or sexual success;
• make out that skill can change the result of a game that is decided by chance;
• portray gambling as something that should take priority in life, or mock people who choose not to gamble;
• exploit the vulnerabilities of children, young people or anyone at risk of harm.

These principles explain why responsible casino copy avoids promises of easy or certain wins, and why licensed operators describe their games as entertainment that costs money. The maths backs that up: every casino game has a built-in house edge, so the longer you play, the more likely it is that you lose. Our gambling myths guide covers the claims that most often mislead people.

Under-18s and the 25+ rule in gambling ads

Since 1 October 2022, CAP rule 16.3.12 has said gambling adverts must not be of strong appeal to under-18s. The older test asked whether an ad appealed more to children than to adults; the newer one asks whether it is likely to strongly attract their attention regardless of how adults react. That has largely ended the use of top-flight footballers, youth-focused influencers and cartoon-style imagery in gambling ads. We explain the test, with examples, on our page about the gambling ads under 18 appeal rule.

A second rule, 16.3.14, says nobody who is or seems to be under 25 may be shown gambling or playing a significant role in a gambling advert. The only exception is for 18–24-year-olds appearing in adverts on an operator’s own website or app, at a point where a bet can be placed. The ASA’s guidance on protecting under-18s (opens in a new tab) was last updated on 14 October 2025.

The legal gambling age in Great Britain is 18, and online casinos must verify your age before you can deposit or play. See casino age verification for how those checks work.

Casino offer adverts: the significant conditions rule

An advert that features a promotion must state its significant conditions in the ad itself, not only in terms reached by a link (CAP rule 8.17). The ASA’s advice on promotional terms and significant conditions (opens in a new tab) explains that a condition is significant if leaving it out would be likely to mislead people about the offer. For casino offers that usually means the qualifying deposit or stake, the number and value of spins, eligible games, expiry, wagering and any excluded payment methods.

Worked example: one offer, two adverts

The arithmetic matters because it shows what the offer is really worth. One hundred spins at 10p is £10 of play, matching the £10 you bet to qualify, and any winnings depend entirely on how those spins land. Calling the spins ‘free’ without the £10 condition beside it would leave out the one detail most people need. For more on judging value, read how free spins work and what is the catch with free spins?.

Bonus terms themselves have been tightened as well. Since 19 January 2026 wagering has been capped at 10 times the bonus, so a £20 bonus can require no more than £200 of play. The 10x wagering cap page has more examples.

Online casino ads, social media and affiliates

Most casino marketing now appears online rather than on TV, and the CAP Code covers all of it: banner ads, paid social posts, influencer content, search ads, emails and the operator’s own website. Content on affiliate sites like this one counts as marketing too when it promotes an operator, and the operator remains answerable for it. That is one reason this site states 18+, key conditions and safer gambling messages wherever an offer appears, and explains its funding on our advertiser disclosure page.

Targeting is part of compliance. Gambling ads must not be directed at under-18s through the media they appear in, and the ASA expects operators to use the age and interest tools that platforms offer to keep younger audiences out. A separate set of Commission rules, explained on our marketing consent rules page, controls the emails, texts and calls you receive as a customer.

TV, radio and sport: broadcast gambling ad rules

Broadcast gambling ads follow BCAP section 17, which mirrors the non-broadcast principles and adds scheduling restrictions so ads don’t appear around programmes made for or likely to appeal particularly to children. On top of the code, industry members agreed the voluntary whistle-to-whistle ban, which since 1 August 2019 has kept betting adverts out of pre-watershed live sport on TV.

Sponsorship is changing too. Premier League clubs agreed to remove gambling sponsors from the front of their shirts from the 2026/27 season, a change described in the government’s gambling white paper.

How to check whether a casino advert follows the rules

You don’t need to know the code numbers to spot a problem. Work through these checks whenever an offer catches your eye:

1. Look for 18+ and a reference to terms: both should be visible without clicking.
2. Find the key conditions next to the headline: how much you must deposit or stake, what you get, its value and when it expires.
3. Check any use of ‘free’: the condition attached should be right beside it.
4. Ask whether the ad implies gambling will fix money problems, change your life or impress people; if it does, it is out of line.
5. Check the brand on the Gambling Commission’s public register, because an unlicensed site isn’t bound by any of these protections.
6. Read the full terms before depositing, especially wagering, maximum bet and payment exclusions.

Our guides to checking a casino licence and reading bonus terms take each of those steps further.

What gambling advertising rules don’t cover

The advertising codes deal with what an advert says and where it appears. They don’t set the rules of the games, the bonus maths or how quickly you are paid. Wagering limits, stake caps and spin speeds are licence conditions or technical standards set by the Gambling Commission; complaints about withdrawals or account closures go through the operator’s complaints procedure and then an independent adjudicator, as set out on our casino complaints and ADR page. Equally, the codes can only reach advertisers who follow UK rules: an unlicensed offshore site advertising illegally is a matter for the Commission’s enforcement teams, and our offshore casinos guide explains why those sites carry extra risk.

How to complain about a gambling advert

Anyone can complain to the ASA, and it is free. Useful evidence includes a screenshot or recording, the date and time, where you saw it (channel, website or platform) and why you think it breaks the rules. The ASA publishes its rulings, and an advertiser found in breach is told to withdraw or change the ad. Because LCCP 5.1.6 links the codes to the licence, the Commission can also take the matter into account.

UK gambling advertising rules timeline

For a running record of these and other changes, see latest UK casino rules.

What could change next in gambling advertising

The ASA keeps its guidance under review and publishes rulings most weeks, so the practical boundaries shift as cases are decided even when the code wording stays the same. Its central page on gambling advertising (opens in a new tab) collects the latest rulings and advice. We haven’t found an officially announced statutory restriction on gambling advertising volumes with a start date in the sources we checked, so we don’t report one. When a new rule is confirmed, it will appear here with its date.

Licensed casinos whose offers follow UK ad rules

Only operators licensed by the Gambling Commission are bound by LCCP 5.1.6 and the ad codes. Coral Casino, run by LC International Limited, and PlayOJO, run by Skill On Net Limited, both hold Commission licences, which you can confirm on the public register.

Here are their current welcome offers with conditions alongside, checked on 5 October 2026; both are for new customers aged 18+ and terms apply. At Coral you deposit (certain methods excluded) and bet at least £10 on slots to receive 100 free spins on selected games, each worth 10p; you have 48 hours to accept them and 7 days to use them, spin winnings carry no wagering, and deposits by PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafe, prepaid cards and some debit cards don’t count. The offer runs from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. At PlayOJO a first deposit of £10 or more brings 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, with winnings paid in cash and no wagering; it isn’t available in Northern Ireland and can’t be combined with other offers. Set a budget before you play and treat any spend as the cost of entertainment.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set deposit limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.