Google to Allow Gambling Ads in Britain

Oct 20th, 2008 • Posted in: News

Critics say decision is motivated by profit and will make a bad situation worse as gambling problems mushroom in times of economic trouble

LONDON
Search engine giant Google will relax its global ban on gambling ads in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Google, which sports “Don’t Be Evil” as its corporate motto, said that gambling firms licensed in the United Kingdom will be allowed to place targeted ads on pages that deliver search results, reports the Times of London.

Critics claim that the global credit crunch is behind Google’s decision to alter its ethics stance, according to the Times.

“The bottom line really is it’s a lot of money,” advertising expert Hannah Kimuiu told the Times. “The gambling advertising industry is probably worth £100 million [roughly $170 million] a year. A lot of advertisers have had to half [sic] their budgets in the past year. They’ve got to recover this money somewhere.”

Google will retain the ban on gambling ads in the rest of the world, and will continue to refuse all ads worldwide for firearms, fireworks, dubious medical treatments, and prostitution, according to a report from the U.K. Guardian.

Various members of Parliament and church leaders immediately attacked the decision as “irresponsible,” reports the London-based Independent. Critics say problems engendered by gambling are becoming worse in the foundering global economy.

The Church of England said that recent studies show a 25-percent increase in people seeking help with gambling problems.

Google says it made its decision in light of Britain’s tolerance of gambling-related enterprises, saying in a statement that it is attempting to “be as consistent as possible with local business practices,” reports the Independent.

Google has been at the center of several recent ethics issues, including controversies over a decision to comply with Chinese censorship laws, the intrusiveness of its “Street View” mapping function, and fears that its new online encyclopedia will create a conflict of interest by pointing to Google content.

Sources: Times of London, Oct. 17 — Independent, Oct. 17 — Telegraph, Oct. 16 — Guardian, Oct. 16.

For more information, see: Related Newsline story, June 23 — Related Newsline story, May 27 — Related Newsline story, Aug. 11 — Related Newsline story, May 21, 2007 — Related Newsline story, Sep. 11, 2006.

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One Response »

1. Ethics Newsline® » News » Ethics Questions Dog Google, Apple, and Internet Advertisers on May 18th, 2009 at 7:07 pm:

   [...] more information, see: Related Newsline story, Oct. 20, 2008 — Related Newsline story, July 7, 2008 — Related Newsline story, [...]

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