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UK
Country rules
UK Gambling Advertising Rules
Gambling Commission licensees must market in a socially responsible way and follow the advertising codes written by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and its broadcast counterpart (BCAP). On top of that sit specific rules on youth appeal, bonuses and direct marketing.
Licensees must comply with the CAP Code, and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) Code for broadcast, under the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) 5.1.6.
Since October 1, 2022, CAP rule 16.3.12 bars gambling ads that are "likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons".
From January 19, 2026, bonus wagering requirements are capped at ten times and mixed-product offers are banned.
Google, Microsoft and X all require a Gambling Commission license to advertise to UK audiences.
Who sets the rules
Three bodies matter for a UK gambling ad. The Gambling Commission licenses operators and sets the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). The Committee of Advertising Practice writes the CAP Code for non-broadcast ads, and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice writes the BCAP Code. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) enforces both codes.
The Gambling Commission's licensing covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate gambling law, though the CAP and BCAP codes apply across the UK.
The link between them is LCCP social responsibility code 5.1.6, which applies to "All licences, except lottery licences." It says "All marketing of gambling products and services must be undertaken in a socially responsible manner" and requires that licensees "must comply with the advertising codes of practice issued by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP)", and the BCAP codes where they apply. A breach of the codes can therefore become a licensing matter, not only an ASA ruling.
Which code sections to read
The Commission's advertising guide, updated June 29, 2026, points licensees to CAP Code sections 3 (misleading advertising), 8 (promotional marketing), 16 (gambling) and 17 (lotteries), and BCAP Code sections 3, 17, 18 and 22. For channels the codes do not name, the guide says "For media not explicitly covered you should apply the principles included in these codes."
Industry codes also count. LCCP 5.1.8 says "Licensees should follow any relevant industry code on advertising" and names the Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising. This is an ordinary code provision, so the Commission can consider a departure at a license review but cannot fine for it.
Protecting under-18s
From October 1, 2022, CAP rule 16.3.12 says gambling marketing must not "be likely to be of strong appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting or being associated with youth culture." The ASA describes this as stricter than the earlier "particular appeal" test. The test looks at how strongly content would appeal to under-18s, not only at whether it is aimed at them.
The ASA and CAP published updated guidance, "Gambling and lotteries advertising: protecting under-18s", dated October 14, 2025, which replaces the 2022 version. LCCP 5.1.6 also carries a restriction on featuring people who are, or seem to be, under 25, which need not be applied to non-remote point-of-sale material. The age restrictions guide compares these rules with the other three markets.
Bonuses and direct marketing
Two recent Commission changes affect offers and messages:
Wagering cap in Great Britain, from January 19, 2026. Wagering requirements on bonuses are capped at ten times, and offers that require customers to use two or more types of gambling, such as betting and slots, are banned. The bonus advertising guide covers how to word offers.
Direct marketing choices, from May 1, 2025. Remote operators must let customers choose direct marketing by "product types (for example betting, bingo and casino) and channel (for example email, SMS)."
Operators of online bingo, sports betting, online casino games and lotteries must be registered with the Gambling Commission and hold a valid operating license number
Approval
Google gambling certification, one application per country
Targeting
UK except Northern Ireland; never target minors
Disclosures
Landing page must display responsible gambling information
Products
Online bingo, sports betting, online casino games, lotteries; raffles and prize draws (from October 15, 2024)
Notes
Raffle and prize draw operators must be registered with the Fundraising Regulator or the Scottish Charity Register (from October 15, 2024). Northern Ireland has its own row: lotteries only, "UK State-owned or government-licensed lotteries are allowed."
Google's UK row excludes Northern Ireland, whose own row allows only "UK State-owned or government-licensed lotteries". The full detail is on the Google Ads gambling policy page.
Minimum age and help
The Gambling Commission says the minimum age is 18 for most gambling. Ads and landing pages for UK audiences commonly point people to the National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare on 0808 8020 133, free and open 24 hours a day, and to GAMSTOP, a free self-exclusion service. See safer gambling help for all four countries.
Questions
Do UK gambling ads have to follow the CAP Code by law?
For Gambling Commission licensees, yes in effect. LCCP 5.1.6 makes compliance with the CAP and BCAP codes a license requirement for all licenses except lottery licenses.
Can a UK gambling ad feature a famous footballer?
Only with great care. Since October 1, 2022 ads must not be of strong appeal to under-18s, so check whether the player would strongly appeal to children before using them, using the ASA and CAP guidance on protecting under-18s.
Does the ten times wagering cap apply to sports betting free bets?
The Commission's rule caps wagering requirements on bonuses and bans offers that mix gambling types. Read the Commission's announcement and the updated LCCP text for how it applies to each product before you write offers.
