The UK gambling industry is under scrutiny, with new research drawing parallels between its tactics and those used by Big Tobacco in the past. The study, published in the BMJ, highlights how the gambling industry downplays the harms of gambling and influences policy to avoid stricter regulation.
Researchers from the University of Bath, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and other institutions compared the strategies of both industries in public communications. They found that the gambling industry, like Big Tobacco, emphasizes the benefits of its products, minimizes the harms, and portrays itself as a socially responsible business.
Lead author Dr. May van Schalkwyk emphasized the need for urgent action to protect public health. She stated that without recognizing the gambling industry as a corporate vector of harm and implementing effective measures to restrict its influence and marketing, preventing gambling harm will remain unachievable.
Professor Anna Gilmore, from the Local Health Global Profits project, noted the similarities between the tactics of the tobacco and gambling industries. She highlighted how both industries have denied risks, cast doubt on evidence of harm, and lobbied against regulations that threaten their profits.
The study points out that ineffective regulation of the gambling industry in the UK has led to serious harm, including financial distress, family breakdown, and suicide. The authors argue that without stronger policies, the industry will continue to mislead the public and block regulation and oversight.
Drawing parallels between the tobacco industry’s past denials of smoking risks and the gambling industry’s responses to concerns about gambling harms, the study calls for immediate action. This includes stronger regulation to limit industry influence, stricter controls on advertising, and the recognition of the gambling industry as a harmful sector in urgent need of effective oversight.
In conclusion, the research highlights the need to learn from past mistakes and prevent further harm by implementing measures to address the deceptive strategies used by the gambling industry. By taking action now, we can protect public health and mitigate the negative impacts of the industry on society.
