London Councils Call for Tube Gambling Ads Ban

More Boroughs Join Coalition

Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Hackney and Lewisham councils have all signed up to the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), a campaign group seeking to remove gambling promotions from public spaces because of their potential to cause harm.

They follow Haringey Council, which became the first London borough to join the coalition in January 2025 and has previously called for a complete end to gambling advertising.

• Check also: London Ministers Urged to Define ‘Harmful Gambling’ as TfL Ad Ban Considered

CEGA argues that the current volume of marketing – from billboards to public transport – normalises gambling and embeds it into everyday life, particularly for children and young people.

Pressure on Sadiq Khan over Manifesto Pledge

The move increases political pressure on Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, who is accused of backtracking on a 2021 re-election manifesto promise to ban gambling adverts from the Transport for London (TfL) network.

A spokesperson for the mayor said the UK government is currently examining how best to address gambling harms, including the impact of advertising, and that the mayor will consider what further action he can take once that review is complete.

For now, critics argue that the Tube and wider TfL estate remain key channels for high-visibility casino and gambling website advertising, despite growing concern at local level.

Gambling Harm

Data from the Gambling Commission suggests that more than one million people in the UK each year experience serious negative effects from someone else’s gambling, underlining that harm is not limited to people who place bets themselves. Young people are especially vulnerable.

Tracy O’Shaughnessy from south west London, whose husband struggled with gambling for over 30 years and who now works with the charity GamLEARN, highlighted the impact on families and why local action matters. She said:

“I know first-hand how quickly gambling harm tears through a life and a family. Seeing London councils push back against gambling advertising really matters – it recognises the reality that this addiction is real, it’s destructive, and it shouldn’t be promoted on our streets.”

Local Powers Versus National Advertising Reach

More than 80 councils across the UK already restrict or prohibit gambling adverts on the spaces they directly control, such as local billboards or council owned sites.

However, they have limited influence over private advertising infrastructure, national broadcasting and digital platforms – including the Underground, buses, commercial billboards and online or social media campaigns.

• See also: UK Gambling Tax Reform: What It Means for Operators

This gap is one reason why CEGA and participating councils are directing their demands at city wide or national authorities, rather than relying solely on local rules.

£2bn Advertising Ecosystem under Scrutiny

The gambling industry is estimated to spend around £2bn a year on marketing across TV, online, outdoor and sponsorship channels. Campaigners say this level of investment makes gambling advertising inescapable and embeds betting as a routine part of sport and daily life.

CEGA argues that this level of exposure constitutes a public health issue rather than a narrow consumer or entertainment question. Its Director, Will Prochaska, welcomed the latest councils to join the coalition, stating:

“It’s inspiring to see councils stepping up to protect the health of their populations where national government is still wanting. Councils across the UK are recognising that gambling is a public health crisis fuelled by relentless advertising.

By joining this coalition, they’re standing up for their communities and sending a clear message. It’s time to stop allowing companies to profit from promoting harmful products. We urge others to follow their lead.”

Hackney Frames Gambling

Hackney Council, one of the five newest members of CEGA, has linked gambling harm directly to broader health inequalities and deprivation in the borough.

Labour councillor Chris Kennedy, cabinet member for health in Hackney, underlined that the issue fits squarely within the council’s wider public health agenda. He said:

“Hackney Council takes a ‘health in all policies’ approach to everything we do. Gambling related harm is well documented but not well recognised as it is often a highly stigmatised form of damage in the lives of some of our most deprived citizens.”

Next Steps

For now, the formal powers to restrict or ban gambling advertising on the Tube rest with City Hall and Transport for London, within the broader framework of national advertising and gambling regulation.

As more London boroughs join the Coalition to End Gambling Ads, pressure is likely to increase on the mayor and central government to decide whether casino and gambling website promotions still have a place on one of the world’s busiest public transport systems.