Casino adverts are set to be withdrawn by 888 on London’s TfL Network after a decision was reportedly made by the operator.
The removal of gambling advertisements from the TfL was a manifesto pledge by London Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2021, however it is yet to be fulfilled.
Just last month, the London Assembly Health Committee (LAHC) strengthened calls which emphasised the need for an understanding of the severity of the issue in the capital.
The Health Committee’s motivation stems from concerns that “London’s rate of ‘problem gambling’ is almost double the average seen across Britain.”
LAHC Chair, Dr Onkar Sahota AM, stated: “The Committee does not view the current evidence base as a prohibiting factor in introducing advertising restrictions.
“The Mayor’s 2021 manifesto pledged to ban ‘harmful gambling advertisements’ across the TfL network. The Committee understands that this has not been implemented, as there is no definitive definition of harmful gambling, with a definition from the Government pending. Nevertheless, the Committee believes the Mayor should advance proposals for such a ban.”
The lack of action on the pledge has led to criticism of Khan from his key political rivals ahead of a mayoral election in the region.
The Guardian has now reported that 888 will remove its marketing from the TfL, citing that it had listened to feedback to come to the decision.
A spokesperson for the firm stated: “We continuously listen to feedback regarding the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns and acknowledge that, whilst fully compliant with all advertising regulations and standards, our latest campaign could be interpreted in a different manner to the brand position we aim for.”
