ASA Tightens Rules – Gambling Ads Too Tempting for Kids

Last week, a number of casinos took a hit when the ASA decided to take a look at their gaming ads. The main reason the ASA sprang into action are ads that appeal too much to kids. According to the Advertising Standards Authority, such commercials are deemed socially unacceptable and must be removed.

Indeed, a great number of casinos run games that feature a fairy tale theme. Naturally, fairy tales are appealing to children, who then wish to play them.

Recently, the ASA warned m88 Casino about FairyTale Legends: Red Riding Hood. The game featured Red Riding Hood, as well as many fantastical creatures that might appeal to children. The ASA ordered ProgressPlay, the company that supplies this casino with games, to halt all commercials and spots promoting this game. Even though m88 Casino denied that they issued these ads, they did comply and agreed to remove them.

However, this problem didn’t surface for the first time. Just last year, the British Ad Watchdog prompted the ASA to send out letters to 450+ companies. The ASA issued warning to them about socially sensitive advertising. In fact, the authority was working round the clock in the past month to put a stop to such practices.

Unfortunately, the problem goes even further than that. The Authority warned some companies to stop ads promoting gambling at work. Paddy Power, one of the best PayPal casinos and sports betting platforms, was the first operator to receive a notice. Also, the ASA pulled Kwiff’s ad from television because it was misleading about betting odds.

All this begs the question, are gambling ads being too audacious and crossing the line they shouldn’t? Whatever the case may be, at least the ASA is here to protect the users.