Liverpool joins CEGA to curb gambling advertising citywide 2026

Key Points

• Liverpool City Council has joined the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), a national alliance of councils, public health bodies, charities and campaign groups seeking to end gambling advertising.
• The move supports Liverpool’s “Reducing Gambling Harms Action Plan”, launched earlier in 2026, which aims to prevent gambling-related harm through early intervention, better support access and reduced exposure to gambling.
• Around one in six young adults in Liverpool experience gambling-related harm; men and people facing financial disadvantage are at greatest risk.
• Gambling harm can lead to debt, poor mental health, relationship breakdown, homelessness and involvement with the criminal justice system.
• The gambling industry spends around £2 billion a year on advertising, embedding gambling in everyday culture and exposing children and young people to marketing across TV, social media, sport and public spaces.
• CEGA now includes 16 local authorities, plus public health organisations such as the Association of Directors of Public Health, the Royal Society for Public Health and the Faculty of Public Health, as well as gambling harm charities and football clubs.
• Liverpool has previously supported awareness campaigns on gambling harms, including partnerships with Chapter One linked to major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup.
• Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, said gambling harm has real practical consequences and that constant exposure to advertising helps normalise gambling, particularly for children and young people.
• Professor Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool City Council, said preventing gambling harm requires reducing risk factors in the first place, using a public health approach across health, education, social care and the voluntary sector.
• Will Prochaska, Director of CEGA, said Liverpool is showing real leadership by putting public health ahead of gambling industry interests and adding its voice to a growing national movement.

Liverpool Council (Liverpool standard) July 09, 2026 – It has become the latest local authority to join a national campaign demanding an end to gambling advertising, marking a significant step in the city’s effort to reduce gambling-related harm across Merseyside.

The council has joined the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), a growing alliance of councils, public health organisations, charities and campaign groups working to limit the impact of gambling marketing on communities. This decision builds on Liverpool’s own “Reducing Gambling Harms Action Plan”, launched earlier this year, which sets out a citywide approach to preventing gambling-related harm through early intervention, improved access to support and action to reduce people’s exposure to gambling.

As reported by the Liverpool standard, the need for action is significant: around one in six young adults in Liverpool experience gambling-related harm, with men and people facing financial disadvantage at greatest risk. Gambling can lead to debt, poor mental health, relationship breakdown, homelessness and involvement with the criminal justice system, while stigma often prevents people from seeking help.

How Serious Is Gambling Harm in Liverpool?

Gambling harm particularly affects young people and disadvantaged communities, and Liverpool City Council is taking a stand against harmful advertising that disproportionately targets and impacts some of the city’s most vulnerable residents. The council says that constant exposure to gambling marketing helps normalise gambling behaviour, particularly among children and young people, and increases the risk of future problems.

The gambling industry spends around £2 billion a year on advertising, embedding gambling into everyday culture and exposing millions of people, including children and young people, to gambling marketing across television, social media, sport and public spaces. This levels of investment means that gambling advertising is now “everywhere”, according to Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, who said that such exposure plays a role in shaping attitudes towards gambling from a young age.

What Does Liverpool’s Reducing Gambling Harms Action Plan Include?

Liverpool has previously supported initiatives to raise awareness of gambling harms, including campaigns in partnership with Chapter One linked to major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, when gambling advertising and promotional activity can increase significantly. Through partnership work and public health campaigns, the Council has sought to encourage informed conversations about gambling harms and available support.

Liverpool’s Reducing Gambling Harms Action Plan brings together partners from health, social care, education, criminal justice and community organisations to provide coordinated support, improve treatment pathways and tackle the stigma that prevents people from seeking help. Joining CEGA is the latest step in delivering the Action Plan’s commitment to reduce exposure to gambling through responsible licensing, advertising policies and wider public health advocacy, as reported by the Liverpool standard.

Who Is Part of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads?

CEGA now includes 16 local authorities alongside leading public health organisations including the Association of Directors of Public Health, the Royal Society for Public Health and the Faculty of Public Health, as well as gambling harm charities, campaign groups and football clubs united in calling for tighter restrictions on gambling advertising. The coalition argues that current advertising rules fail to protect children and vulnerable adults and that evidence-based changes are needed to reduce gambling-related harm at a national level.

Will Prochaska, Director of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), said Liverpool City Council is showing real leadership by recognising the harm gambling can cause and taking action to help prevent it. “By joining CEGA, Liverpool is adding its voice to a growing coalition calling for policies that put public health ahead of gambling industry interests,” he said. “Together we can build the momentum needed to better protect children, young people and those most vulnerable to gambling harm,” Prochaska added, as quoted by the Liverpool standard.

What Do Liverpool’s Leaders Say About Gambling Advertising?

Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, said gambling harm has real and practical consequences.

“It can leave people struggling with debt, damage relationships, affect mental health and place huge pressure on families,”

Doyle said.

“Through our Reducing Gambling Harms Action Plan we’ve committed to preventing harm wherever we can, making support easier to access and creating healthier environments for our residents.”

Doyle emphasised that joining CEGA is an important part of that commitment.

“Gambling advertising is now everywhere, from TV and social media to sport and public spaces, and we know that constant exposure helps normalise gambling, particularly for children and young people,”

he said.

“Liverpool is proud to join councils across the country in calling for stronger action to protect people from gambling-related harm,”

the councillor stated, according to the Liverpool standard.

Professor Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool City Council, said preventing gambling harm isn’t just about supporting people once problems develop, it’s about reducing the factors that increase risk in the first place.

“Our Action Plan takes a public health approach, bringing together partners across health, education, social care and the voluntary sector to improve prevention, raise awareness and strengthen support,”

Ashton said.

“Joining CEGA allows Liverpool to play its part in a growing national movement calling for evidence-based changes to gambling advertising that will help create healthier communities,”

he added.

What Support Is Available for People Affected by Gambling Harm?

Anyone worried about their own gambling, or someone else’s, can access support through Liverpool’s local gambling harm services, the NHS Northern Gambling Service. The council says that early intervention and clear information about available help are critical to reducing the long-term impact of gambling-related problems on individuals, families and communities.

The council will continue to work with partners to promote awareness of these services and to ensure that people know where to turn for help. Public health campaigns, school-based education and community outreach are all part of the broader strategy to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek support before gambling harm becomes severe, as reported by the Liverpool standard.

Background: How Liverpool’s Gambling Harm Strategy Has Developed

Liverpool’s decision to join CEGA follows a period of increased local focus on gambling-related harm, driven by data showing high rates of problem gambling among young adults and financially disadvantaged residents. Earlier in 2026, the council launched its Reducing Gambling Harms Action Plan, which sets out a coordinated approach across health, education, social care and criminal justice sectors.

The plan was developed in response to evidence that gambling advertising is widespread and that exposure is linked to higher rates of gambling participation among young people. Partnerships with organisations such as Chapter One have been used to raise awareness during major sporting events, when gambling promotions traditionally increase. The move to join a national coalition reflects a shift from local awareness campaigns to broader political advocacy for regulatory change on gambling advertising across the UK.

Prediction: How This Development Could Affect Liverpool Residents and the Wider UK

This development could affect Liverpool residents by increasing the visibility of support services and reducing the cultural normalisation of gambling, particularly among young people. If the coalition’s call for tighter advertising restrictions gains political traction, future rules may limit where and how gambling companies can advertise, which could reduce exposure for children and vulnerable adults in Liverpool and beyond.

For the wider UK, Liverpool’s participation strengthens the coalition’s claim that local authorities are united in demanding public health-focused gambling policy. If more councils join CEGA, the pressure on government to revise advertising rules could grow, potentially leading to national restrictions on gambling sponsorship in sports, limits on online gambling ads, and stricter controls on advertising in public spaces. This could change how gambling is marketed across the country and shift the balance away from industry-driven narratives towards a model that prioritises harm prevention and community well-being.