A NEW study has found that gambling advertising is linked to addiction.

The analysis by researchers at Glasgow University and Sheffield University found that gambling ads are also having an impact on the behaviour of children and adolescents.

They discovered that children and people already gambling too much are most likely to be influenced by gambling advertising.

In Scotland, a number of football clubs, including Celtic and Rangers, have gambling firms as main sponsors.

Campaigners are calling for an end to gambling adverts and sponsorship in football.

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The conclusion of the study was that “gambling advertising restrictions could reduce harm and lessen the impact of advertising on gambling-related inequalities”.

It stated: “Public health harm prevention strategies should include policies which limit exposure to advertising, particularly among children and vulnerable groups.”

On children and young people, it found “higher exposure to advertising is associated with higher gambling rates and severity".

James Grimes leads Gambling with Lives, which runs The Big Step campaign, calling for a ban on gambling advertising and sponsorship in football.

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Mr Grimes said: “There’s now an abundance of evidence that clearly links advertising to addiction, as the millions of us harmed by gambling already know.

“The gambling industry spends £1.5bn a year on marketing - infecting our screens, our sports and our streets with a misleading representation of addictive gambling products.

“It has to stop. The public are expecting the Government to impose tough advertising restrictions in the upcoming white paper. Anything less would be a betrayal to a generation of young people.”

The UK Government is expected to publish its review of the 2005 Gambling Act within weeks, with measures to restrict advertising expected to be included.

According to Be Gamble Aware there are up to 1.4 million people addicted to gambling in the UK, and a government study found there are hundreds of gambling-related suicides every year.

A House of Lords report into gambling harm found one-third of a million people are problem gamblers. On average, one problem gambler commits suicide every day.

It found young people are most at risk and an estimated 55,000 problem gamblers are aged 11 to 16 years old.