Gary Lineker slams gambling advertising in sport.

Gary Lineker

Football pundit, Gary Lineker, has slammed gambling advertisements in sport.

The BBC sports presenter made his comments in an interview with Alistair Campbell for GQ Magazine.

The former England striker also attacked alcohol advertising in sport, as well as launching an attack on FIFA and the decision to let Qatar host the World Cup.

Mr Lineker admitted that he had turn down alcohol sponsorship when Alistair Campbell asked him where he stands on the issue of alcohol sponsorship of sport.

“[I] don’t like it. I have turned down deals with alcohol firms over the years. I do not agree with it,” he said.

“The other thing that worries me is all the betting advertising and sponsorship in sport. All you ever see is commercials for gambling and apps, it is really dangerous, and I think we need to do something about both of them, alcohol and gambling. Gambling is just too easy to do now, and as a parent I worry about it, all those ads bombarding you with in-play betting.”

Writing on his personal blog, Mr Campbell praised Mr Lineker’s honesty.

“I think Linekar deserves credit: both for turning down cash to promote booze in the past, and for drawing attention to the bombardment of gambling ads which now scream endlessly during TV coverage of sport, especially football,” he writes.

Alistair Campbell writes a monthly column for GQ Magazine. A former-alcoholic, he was Director of Communications and Strategy for the former prime minister, Tony Blair, between 1997 and 2003.