Northern Irish leaders have urged the DCMS to “bridge the gap on gambling advertising” and align protections for Northern Ireland with the rest of the UK.

The demand was made by members of the All-Party Group of the Stormont Assembly on Gambling Harms Reduction, who wrote to the DCMS Secretary of State Lisa Nandy.

Led by Chairman Philip McGuigan (Sinn Féin) and Deputy Robbie Butler (UUP), the All-Party Group considers Northern Ireland an outlier in gambling legislation within the UK.

Gambling in Northern Ireland is governed by the NI Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements Order of 1985, applied under a separate legal system. 

The Order was amended in 2022 to allow gambling venues to operate on Sundays and to introduce new criminal liabilities but Stormont failed to approve any amendments related to the governance of online gambling.

MLAs believe that Northern Ireland is exposed by its gambling framework, which provides no legislation for online gambling and leaves advertising beyond its control.

The letter to the DCMS stated: “We urge you to use your existing powers under the Gambling Act 2005 to take immediate action on gambling advertising and promotion and protect people across these islands from further gambling-related harm.”

Northern Ireland’s gambling laws will also face further scrutiny following the approval of the Gambling Regulation Bill in the Republic of Ireland, which includes a gambling advertisement watershed between 5.30am and 9pm.

Northern Ireland has the “highest levels of gambling-related harm across these islands,” the parliamentary group stated, leaving the public vulnerable to aggressive advertising by UK-licensed operators and requiring intervention on gambling advertising.

Lisa Nandy is encouraged to use DCMS powers under the Gambling Act 2005 to limit gambling advertising during major sports events, protect children and vulnerable individuals from targeted gambling promotions, and align Northern Ireland’s regulations with recent restrictions in the Republic of Ireland as well as the rest of the UK’s framework.

The letter continued: “While remote gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission can freely advertise in Northern Ireland, as online and broadcast advertising is a reserved matter, our population is afforded no protection by the regulator.

“However, you have the power under existing laws to prevent our children from being bombarded with gambling-related marketing during major sports broadcasts, such as Premier League matches, and to prevent those already experiencing gambling harms from being targeted by gambling companies on social media.

“Introducing restrictions similar to those in Ireland would have a profound benefit for Northern Ireland, Britain, and Ireland, where British TV is widely watched.”

The DCMS has issued a reply stating that it will respond to the letter from the All-Party Group in due course, addressing MLA’s concerns about gambling advertising.