Shield children from ‘bombardment’ of gambling ads at football games, say MPs
More should be done to shield children from the “bombardment” of gambling ads at football stadiums, MPs have said as they argued for greater regulation of the sector.
Parliament’s cross-party Culture, Media and Sport Committee said that while it welcomed the voluntary withdrawal of gambling sponsorship from the front of Premier League players’ shirts, the move would not reduce the volume of betting ads present during games.
The MPs on the committee recommended that the new gambling sponsorship code of conduct should ask that sports governing bodies cut the number of ads in stadiums while also promoting a higher number of ads dedicated to responsible gambling.
The report comes just months after the government published its long-awaited gambling white paper which recommended a new statutory levy on big firms in a bid to crack down on online addiction.
Other measures include maximum stakes for online slot machines and checks to “better protect even those unable to afford small losses”.
In its report, the MPs cited a recent study which found that branding on football shirts made up just 7% of all the gambling messages that were visible during 10 matches while another study revealed that 7,000 gambling messages could be seen during six matches surveyed on the opening weekend of the season.
They said that while they backed the contents of the white paper, there was “work to do” to ensure that player protection checks were minimally intrusive and protected financial data.
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Britons ‘bombarded’ by gambling ads
The MPs also demanded that the government set out a detailed timetable for the proposals in the white paper given they were not mentioned in the King’s Speech last month.
Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the committee, said: “While gambling regulation should not overly impinge on the freedom to enjoy what is a problem-free pastime for the majority, more should be done to shield both children and people who have experienced problems gambling from what often seems like a bombardment of advertising branding at football and other sporting events.
“The government needs to go further than the proposals in the white paper and work with sports governing bodies on cutting the sheer volume of betting adverts people are being exposed to.”
The committee said extra online protection for young adults should be introduced through a lower stake limit and thresholds for triggering financial risk checks as well as a statutory levy to be paid by gambling operators to fund problem gambling research, prevention and treatment.
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The rapper, gambling and the online world
A Department for Culture, Media and Sport spokesman said: “The gambling white paper outlines a balanced and proportionate package of measures, delivering greater protections for those at risk of experiencing harm, while having minimal impact on the freedoms of the large majority of punters.
“The white paper will deliver new financial risk checks, stake limits for online slots and a mandatory levy on betting firms to pay their fair share towards research, prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.
“There are already robust rules in place to ensure gambling advertising is socially responsible, and we support the work ongoing across the sport sector to develop new standards through an industry-wide code of practice.”
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Zoe Osmond, chief executive of GambleAware, said: “We know gambling marketing is almost four times more appealing to children and young people than adults, and that early exposure – seeing gambling advertising and marketing on TV or social media – can be associated with a greater risk of gambling harms later in life.
“The government’s recently published gambling white paper is a missed opportunity to strengthen regulation around gambling advertising, marketing and sponsorship in sport, and to protect children.
“We are also pleased to see the committee call for a clearer timeline regarding the implementation of the statutory levy, clarity around funding in the interim period and the development of a new national strategy to reduce gambling harms to enable effective implementation of the new system.
“This will support increased collaboration between those working to help tackle gambling harms as we enter this next phase together.”
A police officer has described the moment he was shot with a crossbow – as his “extremely dangerous” attacker was sentenced to nine years in jail.
Jason King, 54, fired the weapon at PC Curtis Foster after stabbing a neighbour, a man in his 60s, following an altercation in Downley, Wycombe, on 10 May last year.
PC Foster was struck in the leg by a crossbow bolt while King chased after him and his fellow unarmed officer.
Jason King armed with the crossbow chases the officer. Pic: Thames Valley Police
King stabbed his neighbour in the stomach following an altercation. Pic: Thames Valley Police
“I knew something had impacted me, but my adrenaline was so high that the pain wasn’t really there,” PC Foster said.
“I first realised I was bleeding quite a lot when I could feel it running down my leg, and then I touched my leg with above my trousers, and my whole hand was red where it’d gone through my trousers already.”
PC Foster and his colleague cleared the area of civilians, while armed officers chased King to a local park.
King also fired the crossbow at a police dog but missed.
He was ordered to drop the weapon, but instead started running with it in hand towards the exit of the park to where PC Foster had escaped.
An armed officer fired one shot at King, striking him in the abdomen, to stop him.
PC Curtis Foster was hit in the leg by a crossbow bolt shot by King. Pic: Thames Valley Police
PC Foster. Pic: Thames Valley Police
‘Covered in my blood’
As King was apprehended, paramedics and his fellow officers treated the seriously injured PC Foster.
“There was a lot of blood. My two colleagues that turned up initially on scene were covered in my blood – that’s how much blood I’d lost,” PC Foster said.
“When we got to the hospital, the doctor had a feel of it and said that I was really lucky it didn’t strike an artery. It was a couple of centimetres away from hitting an artery in the back of my leg.”
PC Foster has since made a full recovery, as did the neighbour King stabbed.
King himself was taken to hospital under police supervision with potentially life-changing injuries and was discharged 10 days later, when he was arrested and taken into police custody.
King was apprehended by armed police officers in a nearby park. Pic: Thames Valley Police
On Wednesday, King was jailed at Aylesbury Crown Court for nine years with a further three years on extended licence having previously pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, having an article with a blade or point, having an offensive weapon, wounding with intent and affray regarding the incident.
“Jason King will now serve a substantial prison sentence as a result of his violent actions on 10 May 2024. The community and residents of Downley are much safer for it,” said senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Nick Hind.
He added: “The courage of our officers in dealing with this incident was second to none.”
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‘Significant threat to police’
DI Hind explained that the impact the incident had in the local community couldn’t be underestimated as King was “an extremely dangerous man, who posed a significant threat to police, other emergency services and members of the community”.
A mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct was made after the police shooting of King.
The IOPC, which concluded its investigation in November, commended “everybody involved in this incident”, according to DI Hind.
A member of rap trio Kneecap was greeted by hundreds of supporters as he arrived at court this morning, charged with allegedly supporting a proscribed terror organisation.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in London in November last year.
Demonstrators waving flags and holding banners in support of the rapper greeted him with cheers as he made his way into Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The rapper is mobbed by fans and media as he arrives at court. Pics: PA
Supported by his Kneecap bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, it took the rapper more than a minute to enter the building as security officers worked to usher him inside through a crowd of photographers.
Fans held signs which read “Free Mo Chara”, while others waved Irish and Palestinian flags.
As the hearing got under way, O hAnnaidh confirmed his name, date of birth and address, with the court hearing an Irish language interpreter would be present.
During a previous hearing, prosecutors said the 27-year-old is “well within his rights” to voice his opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but said the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town was a “wholly different thing”.
O hAnnaidh is yet to enter a plea to the charge.
Bandmates Naoise O Caireallain (pictured, centre) and JJ O Dochartaigh are supporting O hAnnaidh. Pic: Reuters
Who are Kneecap?
Kneecap put out their first single in 2017 and rose to wider prominence in 2024 after the release of their debut album and an eponymously titled film – a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together and their fight to save the Irish language.
The film, in which the trio play themselves and co-star alongside starring Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender, won the BAFTA for outstanding debut earlier this year, for director and writer Rich Peppiatt.
Last year, they won a discrimination case against the UK government after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was business secretary.
They are known for songs including H.O.O.D, Fine Art, and Better Way To Live, featuring Fontaines DC frontman Grian Chatten.
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