The ad spend disconnect: quantifying the growth of the unregulated ad spend in the gambling sector

'The ad spend disconnect: quantifying the growth of the unregulated ad spend in the gambling sector' report was prepared and researched by WARC.

The research highlights a growing divide in the market, with overall growth in advertising driven largely by unregulated operators, particularly through increased investment in online channels.

In contrast, regulated operators are cutting advertising spend in response to tax and margin pressures, widening the structural gap between the regulated and unregulated sectors.

It concludes that while total spend is forecast to reach nearly £1.9bn by October 2026, this masks a significant shift away from regulated advertisers towards a predominantly online, unregulated market.

Download the report below.