The number of gambling-related messages displayed during the opening weekend of the Premier League nearly tripled compared to the same period last year.

During the opening weekend of the Premier League season, researchers recorded a significant increase in gambling-related messages, with nearly 30,000 instances, almost tripling last year’s count of 10,999. In the West Ham United vs. Aston Villa match alone, 6,491 gambling messages were displayed—equating to approximately 30 messages per minute.

The University of Bristol’s report highlights the sharp rise in gambling marketing across TV, radio, and social media, calling the industry’s self-regulation “wholly inadequate.” Dr. Raffaello Rossi, co-author of the report, stressed that despite years of opportunity to establish effective protections, the gambling industry continues to prioritize profit over public safety. Additionally, Dr. Jamie Wheaton pointed to the need for government intervention to safeguard young viewers from the saturation of gambling ads.

The research team analyzed 24 hours of live match coverage, including broadcasts on Sky Sports News, TalkSport radio, and gambling-related posts on Instagram, Facebook, and X from August 16 to 19. They reported over 100 social media posts by gambling brands to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for investigation, noting that social media content by gambling operators reached an audience of over 24 million views.

Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who has personal experience with gambling issues, voiced concern about the relentless nature of gambling ads in football, underscoring the need for regulatory change.