UK advertising body cracks down on free bet advertising
The Committee of Advertising Practices addresses free bet concerns in updated gambling advertising guidelines and reiterates stance on child protection
The UK’s Committee of Advertising Practices (CAP) called on gambling operators to be more responsible when promoting free bet offers in its updated advertising guidelines released last week.
CAP’s updated guidelines come after the UK Gambling Commission said it would investigate free bet offers following the revelation that 91% of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority regarding the practice had been upheld over the past four years.
The number of complaints to the ASA regarding free bet offers has increased in recent months and CAP specifically criticised the inclusion of “unclear or unfair terms and conditions” in free bet advertising.
The new guidance reiterates that full conditions “likely to affect a consumer’s decision” must be displayed no more than one click away from the ad itself and warned that such breaches are likely to break to fall foul of social responsibility guidelines as well.
The updated code, which is enforced by the ASA, also addressed concerns regarding the potential to target children and vulnerable people, such as problem gamblers, and specifically warned against the use of cartoon characters.
CAP collaborated with the Gambling Commission, the Department of Culture Media and Sport and other stakeholders in its review of the code and to ensure a “joined-up approach” with regards regulation.
The note also addressed the use of cartoon characters and has urged gambling operators with brand content partners to act with “a due sense of responsibility” when including them in advertising.
An 888 advert that depicted the Marvel Comics character Spiderman was banned in July 2013, a month after Coral avoided punishment after an advert for the operator was mistakenly aired during children’s’ television programming.