Chris Alfred

⚠️Illegal gambling doesn’t hide in the shadows anymore. It appears on our phones, in our feeds, and on major platforms — often in plain sight. That should concern everyone, regardless of where you sit on gambling policy. See: theguardian.com/society/2025/d…

Yet again @SenseiChanning talking a lot of sense about gambling and regulation

My article is an argument for proportionality and honesty. Until questions about displacement, channelisation and cost are answered, this looks less like evidence‑based reform — and more like a blunt instrument.

The report even cites evidence that full ad bans reduce wagering by just 1.4%. It never explains how that marginal change justifies such sweeping economic and regulatory disruption.

Push regulated operators out of sight and consumers are nudged toward offshore, unlicensed sites. No affordability checks. No self‑exclusion. No oversight.

The key question the report doesn’t answer: where does demand go? History suggests it doesn’t vanish when advertising is suppressed — it relocates.

In the real world, that means: • Racing TV and sponsorship funding disappearing • Grassroots football losing support • No offers, no free bets — even for recreational players • No digital or social content from licensed operators at all

These proposals aren’t about reducing harm within a regulated market. They are designed to shrink the market itself. In substance, it’s a near‑total ban on gambling advertising and sponsorship — minus the label.

Protecting children and vulnerable people from gambling harm isn’t controversial. But the report rests on an unstated premise: that all gambling, in any form, is inherently harmful. That shapes everything that follows.

New piece on the Gambling Reform APPG’s advertising report 👇 linkedin.com/pulse/blunt-in… It starts from a legitimate concern — and ends with proposals that risk doing the opposite of what they claim. 🧵

@BradAllenNFL Keen to hear more about why? Special Zero Latency pod?

Polymarket is comfortably the worst exchange of any type i've ever used

Good piece by @roundrobin42: Kalshi’s Favourite Lie - the fees they charge and the losers they need open.substack.com/pub/howgamblin…

French weather service alerts police to tampering after suspicious Polymarket bets ft.trib.al/nt2ozU0

Contains this quote from @AlexBallingerMP “There is no justification for promoting sites that are not permitted to operate in the UK and are contributing to increased gambling harm and tax evasion,” Please tell that to the Premier League!

Good piece in the Guardian on Trustpilot hosting reviews of illegal casinos theguardian.com/society/2026/a…

High energy, questionable Scottish accents, and a true test of patience. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Here’s the team having some fun ahead of the action at the #ScottishGrandNational.

𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 We invited Sean Bowen & Brendan Powell to a photoshoot, but there was a twist in store for them... cue Joe Tizzard & Alan Johns! @Sean_Bowen_ | @brendanp1995 | @TizzardRacing | @alanjohnsy | @ayrracecourse

Another telling stat that the Venky's are huge contributors to ☹️

Some of this is nonsense I'm afraid - you can't equate a 'payout' figure with bookmakers being 'hit for tens of millions'. A payout is only relevant when you know how much a firm has taken on the race