Pádraig Hoare: Gambling ads as relentless as they are ruthless

ESRI has found that problem gambling is more prevalent among young men, people in disadvantaged communities, and those with addiction issues and mental health problems

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been diagnosed with a gambling addiction and showed genuine remorse for 232 breaches of betting rules between February 2017 and January 2021.

Gambling is really fun, a wholesome way to fill your time, and a harmless bit of japery — that's the impression you'd get turning on your television or podcast or YouTube these days, because the advertising is as relentless as it is quietly ruthless.

Is it any wonder that new research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) suggests gambling addiction in this country has likely been vastly underestimated?