Are igaming operators staying compliant with UKGC regulations on social media?

When it comes to marketing an igaming brand, there are some very strict guidelines that need to be followed. The UKGC is not afraid to sanction operators who break the rules and they will suspend a licence if they see fit.

For operators who are promoting their brand through social channels such as Facebook or Instagram, there needs to be careful consideration given to the rules. Below, we look at Gala Spins and a recent issue it faced in regard to the promotion of its brand on Facebook.

Things to be aware of

Brand image is something that any marketing team needs to be aware of when using social media to promote their product or service. However, when you add an igaming brand into the mix, there are some more serious considerations to be made. The UKGC and the ASA are always on the look-out for breaches on social media and will respond to any complaints in due course.

One of the main concerns for operators using social media to promote their brand is the demographic of these channels. Around 51% of 13 to 17-year-olds use Facebook and around 7.1% of all Instagram users worldwide are aged between 13 and 17-years-old.

With so many minors having access to content, operators must ensure they are not posting anything that could appeal to this audience and breach the rules.

It is also worth noting that operators can only use Facebook advertising tools if they have been approved by Facebook itself. If an operator attempts to use the advertising tools to promote gambling, they could face more serious action.

All operators should be up to date with ASA guidelines and UKGC rules before they even think about posting any content on these channels.

UKGC partnership with Facebook

Back in April, the UKGC created a challenge that attempted to use technology to cut the amount of advertising seen by young people and vulnerable adults online. In a bid to meet this challenge, it has recently partnered with Facebook to drastically reduce the number of gambling adverts shown on the channel.

The partnership aims to provide consumers with clear and practical advice that will allow them to promote their brand while protecting players at the same time. Their aim is to reduce gambling-related content but what does this mean for operators?

Ideally, operators will still be able to use social media as a key tool to promote their brand. When you consider the fact that 52% of all online brand discovery happens on social feeds, this is an opportunity that you are not going to want to miss.

Case study: Gala Spins

A recent case that the ASA dealt with in regard to a Facebook ad campaign by Gala Spins is one that is worth taking note of. This is a great example of an operator which believed that it was staying compliant with the rules but still faced action from the governing authorities.

The ad in question was one that promoted Gala Spins and included the popular Fluffy Favourites slot. This slot features cute cuddly toys and the caption that went along with this was “IT’S A ROLLERCOASTER OF CUTENESS!”.

This ad received a complaint that the ASA looked into and found it to be something of note. They stated that the ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 16.1 and 16.3.12. The cartoons within the ad, coupled with the caption, were seen to be appealing to young children who might see it on their news feed.

Gala Spins responded to the complaint with analytics as evidence. They stated that the ad was specifically targeted to users between 18 and 65-years-old and that no-one outside of this demographic saw it. This is known as age-gating and is a common method that operators use to stay compliant.

However, the ASA did not agree with Gala Spins on this one and found the ad to be in breach of the rules, despite the age-gating. So, even though Gala Spins thought that it was in the right, it still faced action as a result of its marketing campaign.

Are operators staying compliant?

Gala Spins is just one example of a leading operator that got it wrong. The ad might have been targeted to adults but it still could have been seen by minors. Operators in the industry should learn a lesson from Gala Spins and ensure they are not relying on this technology to stay on the right side of the guidelines.

Operators should do all that they can to meet the regulations when using social media as a channel to market the brand. A quick read over the ASA guidelines is always useful in learning about the most up-to-date information.

There is no room for error in this industry if we all want to protect players and grow the industry at the same time.

Sharon McFarlane is the managing director of Crystal Content – a digital marketing agency that specialises in igaming. She has eight years’ experience in the industry and has contributed regularly to industry magazines and conferences sharing her expertise on all things digital marketing. Her company (www.crystalcontent.co.uk) offers an outsourced solution for igaming businesses when it comes to content marketing, social media, UX design, website design, branding and conversion rate optimisation.