Direct Gambling Marketing Drives Harms, New Study Shows

Not only does the gambling itself create a harmful environment. Central Queensland University (CQU) and the University of Bristol found that direct marketing encourages people to play more and, consequently, face negative effects. The findings require the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) to take more serious action.

Regular Marketing Emails Increase Gambling Risks

Players ticking the boxes during registration don’t even realise that these bombarding emails with free bets and bonus offers make them gamble more than they want.

Controlled research by CQU and Bristol universities demonstrated that enabling emails, messages, and push notifications from casinos results in 23% more wagers and spending almost 40% more funds than when these are disabled.

Players who start their sessions voluntarily and aren’t led by any promo message face the negative consequences of gambling 67% fewer.

Direct Marketing & Regulatory Regime in the UK

The UK’s Gambling White Paper (2023) didn’t include any regulations on marketing, as causal links weren’t proven. Although further research is necessary, there’s already enough clear evidence that promotional messages boost negative gambling behaviour.

The discussed study clearly shows that gambling harms caused by personalised marketing have been greatly underrated. The community may request that the UKGC reconsider regulating SMS, emails, push notifications and other forms of direct marketing used by British operators.

Gambling Debt Crisis Is on the Rise in Britain

Recent mutual reports released by PayPlan and GamCare state an increase in money guidance and debt services since January 2026. There’s a 22% growth in debt-related consultations compared to the last year. The total debit for 2025 exceeded £7.2 million. That amount in 2024 was just £2.8 million.

As PayPlan officials say, growing numbers in the report are the first and foremost sign that UK debts and gaming activities are likely linked. The increasing number of applications to GamCare’s Money Guidance service only strengthens this viewpoint. The key findings show:

• 923 people asked for guidance in 2024.
• 1954 individuals requested GamCare support in 2025.
• 233 people applied to the Money Guidance service in January 2026.

If the situation doesn’t change, we may anticipate approximately 3,000 guidance seekers by the end of 2026.

People suffering from gambling addiction are highly vulnerable, and direct messages from online casinos are designed to touch the pain points and make you place wagers every day. Financial losses are one of the short-term consequences of excessive gambling, so there's a clear link between the two issues.

If numbers start growing, the UK government will likely take new measures. Direct marketing of gambling offers may be cut slightly or banned totally.