Advertisements for Ladbrokes Coral are prohibited for individuals under 18 years of age, as per the ruling of the ASA.
Due to its "child-friendly" promotions, the UK's advertising regulator, ASA (Advertising Standards Authority), has halted three affiliate marketing campaigns of GVC Holdings-owned British bookmaker Ladbrokes Coral with immediate effect.
Ladbrokes Coral joins the list of violators that includes Paddy Power, M88, Letou, and Pokerstars, all under fire for disregarding British gambling advertising rules. The Gibraltar-based, London-established traditional bookmaker is accused of using "child-unfriendly" graphics for their online casino slots - Rainbow Riches, Fishin' Frenzy, and Lucky Wizard, which go against the UK Youth Protection and Gambling Act for anyone under 18.
The Rainbow Riches ad featured an animated image of a rainbow, gold-filled pot, and an animated goblin on a street. Fishin' Frenzy showed an animation of swimming fish in the ocean. Lucky Wizard welcomed with an animation of a mysterious wizard.
The ASA stated that these ads failed to identify them as gambling products, and one complainant highlighted their allure to underage individuals. However, Ladbrokes Coral argued that the animation wouldn't entice children and teens more than adults. The Rainbow Riches character was not seen as more attractive to kids than Rainbow Riches, while the fish in Fishin' Frenzy was not connected to characters from popular children's movies. The wizard in Lucky Wizard was illustrated in a non-appealing, standard way.
The ASA overruled these defenses and ruled that the live-broadcast ads for Rainbow Riches, Fishin' Frenzy, and Lucky Wizard in their current forms were "dangerous" and could no longer be broadcasted. The ASA Code of Advertising Practice, also known as CAP Code, demands that marketers ensure their ads are identifiable as such and clearly indicate their commercial intent, be it the provider themselves or an affiliate marketing agency. Their protection of minors is emphasized by an ASA spokesperson:
"The ASA Code of Advertising Practice (CAP Code) states that gambling ads should not be appealing to children or adolescents, especially when they represent youth culture or are connected to it. Gambling ads must therefore not be more Interesting to minors than adults."
A stream of decisions has helped regulate advertising content related to minors. The industry's response to these decisions was positive, with no warning signs of a return to old ways, according to the ASA. The PokerStars case from April is worth mentioning:
PokerStars, the world's largest online poker platform owned by The Stars Group, faced a stern warning from the ASA to withdraw "irresponsible and misleading advertising." The ad with the slogan, "If you can bluff, you can bluff anyone," was accused of motivating inexperienced players to gamble, while implying that PokerStars is a simple path to wealth if you're good at lying - bluffing - in everyday life. The ASA didn't bluff either, banning the commercial.
In conclusion, the ASA takes regulatory action against operators who engage in inappropriate advertising, and the industry has responded well, steering clear of past practices. While there may be borderline cases with disagreements between operators and the authority, the ASA remains committed to its child protection guidelines.
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