Regulatory Authority Targets Play'n GO Over Controversial Advertisements
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK has taken action against three online gambling ads by supplier Play'n GO, ruling that they violated the country's strict gambling promotion rules due to their strong appeal to minors.
The ASA's concern was the ads' presence adjacent to children's inboxes, as they were distributed via the AdRoll platform and only displayed on websites explicitly allowing gambling-related content. The ASA concluded that distribution safeguards, such as behavioral targeting and self-reported age verification, were insufficient to prevent exposure to minors.
Key guidelines for gambling advertisements in the UK aim to prevent appealing to minors, particularly regarding imagery such as colorful animated characters and references to youth culture. The ASA deemed the combination of factors regarding these marketing materials as highly irresponsible.
The promotional images included a bunny superhero, a robot DJ, and a trio of anime-style princesses, which the ASA found to have a strong appeal to underage audiences. Play'n GO argued that the characters belonged to popular game franchises targeting adults, but the ASA ruled otherwise.
Play'n GO Malta Ltd was told to avoid using imagery that has a strong appeal to individuals under 18 years of age in their ads. The company was ordered to remove the promotional materials and ensure they do not reappear in their current form.
The ASA's ruling is part of its continuing efforts to limit children's access to gambling advertising, particularly online. The ASA targets ads that promote irresponsible gaming or feature heavy use of alcohol. The ASA did not impose any formal penalty on Play'n GO, but the company conceded that the promos may have reached children through shared devices or IP addresses.
The ASA is unafraid to go after high-profile names in the gambling sector. This ruling serves as a reminder to all advertising companies in the industry to ensure their marketing materials adhere to the UK's strict guidelines for gambling advertisements.
Play'n GO was advised to avoid using gamification elements and imagery that appeal to underage audiences in their online casino advertisements to uphold responsible gambling standards. In light of the ruling, Play'n GO Malta Ltd was instructed to remove the promotional materials featuring a bunny superhero, a robot DJ, and anime-style princesses, as they were deemed irresponsible and potentially attractive to minors.
