Ministers have been urged to intervene to stop football clubs from setting their own rules on curbing gambling advertising, after research showed Premier League fans were bombarded with nearly 30,000 gambling messages on a single weekend.

According to the Guardian, politicians, researchers and England’s most capped men’s player, Peter Shilton, called on the government to act after a new study found a surge in gambling ads which they said exposed the “woeful inadequacies” of allowing clubs and gambling operators to set their own rules.

Fans keeping track of the opening weekend of the Premier League season last month were flooded with 29,145 gambling messages on TV, radio and social media during six live games, according to analysis by researchers at the University of Bristol.

Clubs in the top flight have so far avoided compulsory restrictions on gambling sponsorship, instead addressing public concern through voluntary measures such as a ban on front-of-shirt logos, starting in 2026. But campaigners called on the Government to act after a new study from the University of Bristol found a surge in gambling ads which they said exposed the “woeful inadequacies” of allowing clubs and gambling operators to set their own rules.

Since 2019, gambling firms have agreed not to show adverts on pre-watershed TV during half-time or immediately before and after games, under the “whistle-to-whistle” ban.

The industry has said this has dramatically reduced the volume of ads seen by children, but the report’s authors said they had detected 10,000 gambling messages because the measures impose no restrictions on pitchside hoardings.

A government spokesperson said ministers were “considering the full range of gambling policy, including on advertising and sponsorship, and will update in due course”.

The industry trade body, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), said the report “fundamentally misunderstands” advertising.

“The previous government stated research did not establish a causal link between exposure to advertising and the development of problem gambling,” the BGC said.

It added: “Betting advertising and sponsorship must comply with strict guidelines, and safer gambling tools and signposts to help for those concerned about their betting are regularly and prominently displayed.

“BGC members already commit 20% of TV, radio and digital advertising to safer gambling messaging.”