Church of Scotland Wades into Gambling Advertising Fight

The Church of Scotland has joined the discussions around gambling advertising in the UK, calling for their banning after a series of high profile problem gambling cases in the country.

Scotland has been at the forefront of the debate on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) in the UK, with thousands of pounds said to have been gambled away every day on the machines.

Yet it’s the bombardment of gambling ads that the Church of Scotland has taken affront at this time. Under British gambling laws, gambling products and services can be advertised much like any other product, with major sports events among the most popular times for these ads to be aired.

High Profile Ads

The report has come just days after major Scottish football team Glasgow Rangers announced a new sponsorship deal with online and mobile betting company 32Red.

The call has also come in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games, which will take place in Glasgow this year. This major sports event will attract competitors from across the former British empire to the Scotland, where they will compete in up to 17 different sports.

As such, major sports betting companies have been looking forward to the event, with a number of special deals on offer from companies such as Ladbrokes and Paddy Power.