It's not a 1:1 comparison. For one thing, the regulations are different. There are few if any restrictions on online gambling advertising, whereas alcohol ads are disallowed from using imagery that might appeal to children, can only be run in places where at least 70% of viewers are adult, etc.
But more importantly, the nature of the product and the intent of the creators is different. Alcohol vendors for the most part don't want people to get addicted to alcohol, and most of their revenue doesn't come from addicts (90% of American adults drink at least socially).
Gambling, and gambling advertisements, are deliberately designed to hook people to it as an addiction. Only 25% of Americans regularly gamble, and just 2% of gamblers produce 50% of industry revenue.
While the statistics for alcohol consumption may not be as drastic as gambling, a large percentage (>20%) of alcohol revenue comes from heavy drinking. Here's a study from the UK.
Also, what makes you think alcohol vendors don't want addicts? My impression is that while they don't actively promote alcoholism, they mostly don't care.
> Gambling, and gambling advertisements, are deliberately designed to hook people to it as an addiction.
What do you think all the $500-1000 "free cash starts" that the NFL is constantly advertising are supposed to do? There's a reason that free loosies were banned in the Tobacco Control Act of 96. For-profit companies don't give stuff away for free unless they think they'll get way more than that back from a portion of freebie recipients.
But more importantly, the nature of the product and the intent of the creators is different. Alcohol vendors for the most part don't want people to get addicted to alcohol, and most of their revenue doesn't come from addicts (90% of American adults drink at least socially).
Gambling, and gambling advertisements, are deliberately designed to hook people to it as an addiction. Only 25% of Americans regularly gamble, and just 2% of gamblers produce 50% of industry revenue.